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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Phil Hughes ended a personal losing streak that dated to last July, pitching into the seventh inning Sunday and helping the Twins top the Kansas City Royals 8-3 to avoid a three-game sweep. Hughes (1-1), who signed a $24 million, three-year deal in December, allowed an RBI single to Omar Infante in the fifth and a two-run homer to Alcides Escobar in the seventh while winning for the first time in 17 appearances. He had lost eight games since that victory on July 2. Josmil Pinto homered and Trevor Plouffe and Kurt Suzuki each drove in a pair of runs for the Twins, who battered Yordano Ventura (1-1) before piling on against the Royals bullpen. The loss ended Kansas Citys five-game winning streak. Hughes solid showing came after he had allowed 12 earned runs in his first 15 innings with Minnesota. The former All-Star had not survived past the sixth since July 13, when he was still a member of the New York Yankees and was facing his current team. It helped that the Twins staked him to an early lead. After they went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position in a 5-4 loss Saturday, Plouffe came through with a double in the Twins first opportunity Sunday. His drive into the gap in right was enough to score Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer and give Minnesota a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Twins added on in the fourth. After Suzuki walked, the Royals were unable to turn a double play on a grounder by Aaron Hicks. Ventura then threw the ball away trying to pick him off first, and a wild pitch put Hicks on third base. Eduardo Escobars single scored the run. Ventura was finally pulled from the game in the fifth, when the 22-year-old right-hander gave up a leadoff triple to Plouffe and a single to Chris Colabello. He allowed four runs on six hits and four walks in four-plus innings, a line that looks even uglier after two dominant outings in which he allowed a combined one run on six hits against Tampa Bay and Houston. The Royals bullpen, which had thrown 14 straight scoreless innings, never gave their offence a chance to get Ventura off the hook. Pintos homer came off Louis Coleman later in the fifth, and Justin Marks -- making his big league debut -- allowed three more runs in the seventh. Escobars two-run shot later in the seventh knocked Hughes from the game, but relievers Brian Duensing, Casey Fien and Glen Perkins made sure his long losing streak would finally end. NOTES: The Twins played with 24 players after claiming OF Sam Fuld off waivers from Oakland and designating OF Darin Mastroianni for assignment. Fuld is expected to join the Twins on Tuesday in Tampa Bay. ... The Royals open a four-game series Monday in Cleveland with RHP Jeremy Guthrie on the mound. The Twins are off before their three-game set against the Rays. ... The Twins left 11 on base. The Royals stranded eight. Will Clark Jersey . -- Keith Aulie has joined the Tampa Bay Lightning. Cheap Giants Jerseys . PAUL, Minn. http://www.cheapsanfranciscogiantsjersey...ccutchen-jersey. They kicked off the still-going trend of host cities winning the Grey Cup and sent Hall of Fame head coach Wally Buono to the front office a champion. Gregor Blanco Jersey . Louis Blues are reportedly taking restricted free agent forward Vladimir Sobotka to arbitration. Cheap Giants Jerseys China . The Senators will put the busy off-season and training camp behind them when they open their regular season on the road. They kick things off Friday against the Buffalo Sabres and then head to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs on Saturday.ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Centre Saku Koivu and goalie Jonas Hiller are done with the Anaheim Ducks. Koivu, Hiller and forward Daniel Winnik wont be offered contracts by the Ducks for next season, general manager Bob Murray confirmed Thursday. The Pacific Division champion Ducks are cutting ties with several dependable veterans after the best regular season in franchise history and a second-round playoff exit. Along with Teemu Selannes retirement, the departures of Koivu and Hiller will allow the Ducks young talent to assume bigger roles next season. Anaheim also is in the trade market for an elite centre. "Weve got younger players coming along that we had to move into the lineup," Murray said. "I thought it was best for this organization that we move forward a little bit. It was just time." The 39-year-old Koivu became a fan favourite during five seasons with the Ducks, even while his scoring production dwindled. The four-time Finnish Olympian was the longtime captain of the Montreal Canadiens. Murray said the Ducks decision on Koivu was "the hardest of the three. He had a great career." Murray isnt certain what Koivu will do next, but wouldnt be surprised if he decides to play in Finland. Koivu said last month he was contemplating retirement. The Ducks decision to part ways with Hiller means theyll head into next season with a new starting goalie for the first time since 2009. Hiller made an All-Star team, won a playoff series and consistently backstopped the Ducks through several seasons of frequently terrible defensive play in front of him, going 162-110-32 over seven years. But the Swiss netminder lost his starting job late in the regular season to Danish backup Frederik Andersen, and he played infrequently in the post-season while the Ducks went with Andersen and 20-year-old John Gibson, widely considered the top goaltending prospect in hockey. "Jonas did so much for us," Murray said. "But weve got pretty good kids there, so the writing was kind of on the wall.dddddddddddd." The 32-year-old Hiller had hoped to stay in Anaheim, but he joins Ryan Miller as the top goalies available in free agency. Anaheim signed the undrafted Hiller out of Switzerlands top league in May 2007. He beat out Ilya Bryzgalov for a roster spot and swiftly seized the starting job from Jean-Sebastien Giguere, the Stanley Cup-winning starter and franchises winningest goalie. "Its funny how it comes full circle," Murray said. Hiller won 14 consecutive decisions during his final season with the Ducks, and he shut out the Los Angeles Kings at Dodger Stadium in January. Andersen and Gibson both struggled at times in the playoffs, but confirmed he wasnt in the Ducks plans when he got just two post-season starts even after Andersen struggled and eventually got injured. Gibson was mediocre in the Ducks final two losses to the Kings, but Anaheim stuck with its youth over Hillers experience. Winnik spent the past two years with the Ducks, scoring 30 points in 76 games last season. Murray emerged from his post-season meetings eager to retool the Ducks, who finished atop the Western Conference and won their second straight division title at 54-20-8. Anaheim beat Dallas in the first round of the post-season, but blew a 3-2 lead in the second round against the rival Kings, losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champions in seven games. The Ducks also are in the market for a veteran centre after failing to land Vancouvers Ryan Kesler at last springs trade deadline. Anaheim has been linked in discussions for Kesler, Ottawas Jason Spezza and San Joses Joe Thornton. Anaheim has a wealth of assets for a deal, including four draft picks in the first two rounds and an impressive collection of prospects in one of the NHLs best farm systems. "I think were in good shape if the right deal is there," Murray said. "You try to make a good hockey deal, and we obviously have some things that people want." ' ' '