KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Minnesota Twins just couldnt get the big hit they needed.The Twins loaded the bases in the second with none out and came away empty. They had runners on first and third with one out in the fourth, but failed to score in a 2-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals, who have won eight straight.We had our chances, Twins second baseman Brian Dozier said. We just didnt, like Nate Diaz last night, he just didnt pop him when he had the chance.Diaz lost a decision to Connor McGregor in a UFC fight Saturday night.The Twins were shut down by Kansas City left-hander Danny Duffy, who won his 10th straight decision.The Royals swept a four-game series from the Twins for the first time since 1999 and have their longest winning streak since an eight-game run Aug. 3-11, 2014. The Royals have won 13 of 15 since the Rally Mantis showed up in the dugout.Duffy (11-1), unbeaten since June 6, improved to 5-0 with a 1.18 ERA in August. His 2.66 ERA ranks second in the American League, while his .917 winning percent tops the majors.Duffy left after 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run and a season-high eight hits while walking two and striking out four.You know, this a lot better game for us in terms of competing compared to yesterday (a 10-0 loss), but still we have fallen short in terms of taking advantage of opportunities, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. And when youve got your best pitcher going, those things can become huge.Duffy outpitched Twins right-hander Ervin Santana (6-10), who allowed two runs and five hits while striking out 10 and walking one over seven innings.Ervin had a really nice day, Molitor said. We didnt back him up particularly well defensively, but, he made some pitches to get off the field. He minimized as best he could. Not enough timely hitting and the defense needs to continue to improve. Ervin was as good as advertised.Santana has a 1.91 ERA in his past 11 starts after beginning the season 1-7 with a 5.10 ERA.The way hes been pitching the last few games, hes lights out, Santana said of Duffy. Hes doing his job. Hes doing what hes supposed to do. He just keeps everybody off balance. He just locates his fastball and his changeup. So, thats what makes him better today.Duffy worked out a no-out, bases loaded jam in the second inning with the help of a couple of fielding gems. After Eddie Rosario struck out, Alex Gordon made a sliding catch of Kurt Suzukis fly to shallow left. Third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert snagged Danny Santanas hard hit grounder and threw out Eduardo Escobar at second base.Hosmers two-out double in the sixth over the head of center fielder Rosario scored Lorenzo Cain, who had an infield single.Hosmer singled in the second, moved to third on Kendrys Morales double and scored on Alcides Escobars ground out for the first Kansas City run.Its terrible, man, Dozier said to be swept by the Royals. Were playing good, it seems like. These past four games weve always make that one mistake and against good teams like Kansas City, its not getting people in, bases loaded, nobody out, thats the ballgame.Robbie Grossman and Trevor Plouffe doubled in the third to produce the only run off Duffy.Kelvin Herrera pitched a perfect ninth to log his seventh save in nine chances.MOLITORS BIRTHDAYMolitor turns 60 Monday. Theres some plans being made for me, Molitor said. Ill be a willing participant. Itll be nice to have an off day and do some things with the family. But not celebrate, Im past that point.NO MAUER1B Joe Mauer, who is a career .326 hitter with 14 home runs and 111 RBI against the Royals, went 0 for 12 in the series and was not in the lineup Sunday. He grounded out as a pinch hitter in the ninth.SEEING THE LIGHTThe Twins recalled RHP Pat Light, who was acquired from Boston on Aug. 1, from Triple-A Rochester, where he had a 2.57 ERA in six outings. He appeared in two games for the Red Sox this season, giving up seven runs in 2 2/3 innings.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: RHP Kris Medlen (rotator cuff inflammation) made a Saturday rehab start for Triple-A Omaha, allowing three runs and two hits, including a home run, and a walk in 1 2/3 innings against Nashville. He threw 22 strikes in 34 pitches.UP NEXTTwins: RHP Kyle Gibson starts the series opener against Detroit on Tuesday. Gibson threw a complete-game Wednesday at Atlanta.Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura starts the series opener at Miami on Tuesday. Ventura is 0-2 in two interleague starts, yielding 11 runs over eight innings. Alexandre Texier Jersey . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Boone Jenner Blue Jackets Jersey . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. http://www.bluejacketsshop.com/authentic-ryan-murray-blue-jackets-jersey/ .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Pierre-Luc Dubois Blue Jackets Jersey . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Markus Hannikainen Jersey . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. AKRON, Ohio -- Golf in Ohio must bring out the best in William McGirt.One month after his first PGA Tour victory at the Memorial, McGirt looked just as good two hours up the road at the Bridgestone Invitational. In his World Golf Championship debut, he opened with six birdies and finished with a 45-foot par for a 6-under 64 and a 3-shot lead.An Ohio sweep? That has happened only four times, and McGirt made a strong guess at the answer.Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods and Tiger Woods? he said. That would be pretty special company.He left out Greg Norman in 1995 (Memorial and World Series of Golf). But that makes it no less a select group.McGirt had some decent company behind him after an opening round of warm sunshine and fast conditions at Firestone. Jason Day, the worlds No. 1 player, was among three players at 67, while Jordan Spieth?managed to post a 68, despite having only one birdie attempt (he missed) in his first 10 holes.I wasnt supposed to shoot 2 under today, Spieth said.U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson had a U.S. Open kind of round -- 15 pars, two birdies and a bogey -- for a 69. His big celebration was walking off the 11th green to learn his alma mater, Coastal Carolina, had just won the College World Series for its first national title. His golf wasnt bad, considering he didnt practice much last week while celebrating his first major (and 32nd birthday) in The Bahamas.I didnt expect a whole lot today, Johnson said. I always expect to play well, but this golf course is playing tough.Only 17 players of the 61-man field broke par. The first round ended with only 58 players.Daniel Berger withdrew after his opening tee shot with a shoulder injury. Brooks Koepka withdrew after 13 holes because of an ankle injury. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III, playing at Firestone for the first time since 2009, withdrew after a 78 because of what was described as a torn labrum.The field was missing Rory McIlroy and Masters champion Danny Willett, among several European Tour players who opted to play the French Open this week.McGirt had never played in a WGC until he became eligible with his playoff victory at Muirfield Village a month ago. He showed up at Firestone on SSunday, played nine holes and rode in a cart on the back nine.ddddddddddddI fell in love with the place because length is not everything out here, McGirt said. You have to drive it in the fairway. You have to drive it in the correct spots in the fairways to be able to attack pins. I love it because you cant stand up there and just hit it as hard as you want, go find it and hack it on the green. Its an old, traditional-style golf course, which I absolutely love. I dont know, maybe its something with Ohio I like.The most peculiar round belonged to Spieth, who said he has been in a lull the past month as he searches for something in his swing, particularly his wedges. It had the look of a score closer to 74 or 75, except the former Masters and U.S. Open champion kept hanging in there with pars. One shot hit a tree and bounced forward over the water into a bunker. He whiffed on a 7-iron that left him a tough pitch, but he managed to save par from 8 feet.He ended the front nine with par-saving putts from 20 feet and 25 feet. It wasnt until the 15th hole that he had back-to-back birdie putts, and he started converting them. He holed the last four.Im really just searching for something that isnt far off, thats real simple, Spieth said. It really is only taking place on my scoring clubs, but thats where you need them. Its close. Its almost there. And when it clicks, were definitely in business, the way the short game is.Emiliano Grillo and Jimmy Walker?were at 67 with Day, while Spieth was joined by Rickie Fowler, Anirban Lahiri and Charley Hoffman.Day said he felt a burden lifted when he made his announcement to not play in the Olympics because of Zika concerns, but he didnt think that equated to his golf. It was a tidy round with only one bogey and four birdies and a pair of tough par saves from a bunker on No. 9 and behind the green on the par-5 16th.It was just kind of a weird feeling of a day where I kind of made some good pars, kept the momentum going and all of a sudden I shot 67, Day said. Ive just got to keep grinding until Sunday is over. ' ' '