MINNEAPOLIS -- After adding Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes in the off-season, the Twins expected their rotation to be better. Oscar Robertson Jersey . Instead, the offence has been the biggest turnaround for Minnesota. Joe Mauer hit his first home run of the season, Brian Dozier connected for his fourth and Nolasco earned his initial win with the Twins in a 7-1 victory Saturday over the Kansas City Royals. "I feel like, one through nine, everybody today had at least three hard-hit balls each, and thats a tell-tale sign an offence is clicking," said Dozier, who tied for the AL lead in homers. "Been doing that for the past week now, so everything is starting to click as a team right now." A day after getting his first RBI of the year, Mauer hit a three-run shot against starter James Shields (0-2). Dozier had a leadoff homer for Minnesota, which has scored the second-most runs in the American League. Nolasco (1-1) showed why the Twins signed him to a $49 million, four-year contract to steady their rotation. The right-hander gave up five runs in each of his first two outings for his new team, but was on top of his game Saturday in his first home start for Minnesota. Nolasco went eight innings and allowed five hits with four strikeouts. "I wish I could say Im going to go eight every time," Nolasco said. "This level is very difficult and you can never count yourself out no matter how good or bad youre doing. I had two bad starts, but my mentality is still like I could do something like today." While the rotation was addressed in the off-season, it was Minnesotas lineup that figured to keep the Twins near the bottom of the AL Central again. Instead, Dozier has been a power source in the leadoff spot, and Minnesota has received big production from a middle of the order that includes Trevor Plouffe, Chris Colabello and Jason Kubel. Making the transition full-time to first base this season, Mauer was slow to come around with the bat. Kansas Citys first trip to Minnesota was the perfect remedy, though. In his career, Mauer has hit .338 against the Royals with 11 homers and 95 RBIs. Hes also hit .350 (12 for 37) against Shields. "When its all said and done his numbers are going to be there," acting Twins manager Terry Steinbach said. "Hes a professional hitter, a great hitter, and just over the course of time its going to happen. It was good to see him connect with one and get that ball out of the ballpark." Shields put Kansas City in an early hole again. The Royals had seven quality starts in their first eight games, but Bruce Chen allowed two first-inning runs Friday night and only went 3 2-3 innings. Shields gave up a home run to Dozier on his fourth pitch and Minnesota added six runs in the second. Shields was undone by the defence, including his own. None of the runs in the second were earned because Shields misplayed a sacrifice bunt by Kurt Suzuki, with the ball slipping out of his hand for an error as the pitcher tried to throw to third base. Shields then walked No. 8 hitter Aaron Hicks with the bases loaded. Later, third baseman Mike Moustakas couldnt handle a hard-hit grounder by Dozier that deflected into left field for an error, allowing two runs to score. Mauer followed Moustakas error with a three-run homer, his first since Aug. 16 last season. "Even though it was a 3-2 count, I was trying to go changeup down and away," Shields said. "Hes a pretty good hitter. Hes going to hit that every time." Shields yielded seven runs -- one earned -- in 5 2-3 innings. He gave up six hits and walked three while striking out five. NOTES: Steinbach filled in for Twins manager Ron Gardenhire the past two games while Gardenhire attended the funeral for Michael Hirschbeck in Ohio. Hirschbeck, the son of umpire John Hirschbeck, died Tuesday at age 27. Gardenhire is expected back for Sundays game. ... Kansas City recalled LHP Danny Duffy from Triple-A Omaha to pitch out of the bullpen. Duffy, who was in the mix for a rotation spot this spring, is the only healthy left-hander in the bullpen. The Royals optioned 2B Johnny Giavotella to Omaha. ... Minnesota put LF Josh Willingham on the 15-day disabled list with a bruised left wrist. Willingham was set to have an MRI later Saturday. The move was made retroactive to Monday, and the team hopes hell be ready to return when eligible. The Twins recalled RHP Michael Tonkin from Triple-A Rochester. ... Minnesota assistant general manager Rob Antony said SS Jason Bartlett will travel to Fort Myers, Fla., on Sunday to begin rehabilitating a left ankle injury. Bartlett was placed on the disabled list Monday. ... Twins RHP Kevin Correia (0-1, 6.17 ERA) pitches Sunday against LHP Jason Vargas (1-0, 1.20). Glenn Robinson Jersey . Or how his team has defended Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Or just about anything that has happened on the court in the first-round playoff series. Instead, Rivers and his players spent Saturday talking about how they would respond to an audio recording of a man identified as Clippers owner Donald Sterling telling his girlfriend not to bring black people to games. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Bucks Jersey . Mickelson shot a 2-under 70 after opening with a 77 -- his worst score of the season -- on TPC San Antonios AT&T Oaks Course. Lefty was 11 strokes behind leader Steven Bowditch, the Australian who had a 67 to reach 8-under 136. http://www.nbabucksproshop.com/Authentic-Ersan-Ilyasova-Bucks-Jersey/ . 1-9 on TSN. With more than 65 hours of exclusive live coverage, TSN delivers all the action beginning with Draw 1 on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.SEATTLE -- Ian Kinsler scored the go-ahead run on Danny Farquhars balk in the 10th inning, handing the Texas Rangers a 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night. Kinsler started the winning rally with one-out single against Farquhar (0-2) for his fourth hit. Kinsler advanced on Adrian Beltres single, and then swiped third. After A.J. Pierzynski fouled out to third, home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor called a balk on Farquhar with Alex Rios at the plate, allowing Kinsler to come home. Tanner Scheppers (6-2) wiggled out of a jam in the ninth to get the win and Joe Nathan finished for his 38th save in 40 chances as the AL West-leading Rangers won for the sixth time in eight games. A day after coming off the disabled list, Franklin Gutierrez homered for the first time since June 22 for Seattle, which has lost five straight. All the runs prior to the odd 10th inning came when both starters ran into trouble early before setting down, turning a tie game over to the bullpens after six innings. Texas starter Derek Holland allowed three runs and six hits, walked four and struck out five. The left-hander is unbeaten in his last six starts, with five no-decisions in that stretch. Holland walked two of his first three batters, setting up Kendrys Morales run-scoring double and Justin Smoaks sacrifice fly. Mariners starter Hishashi Iwakuma struck out the side in the first but ran into trouble of his own in the second, allowing three runs on four hits, including RBI singles by Mitch Moreland, David Murphy and Elvis Andrus. Iwakuma needed 55 pitches to get through those first two innings but cruised tthrough his last four, only allowing a pair of singles after the second. Oscar Robertson Bucks Jersey. The Japanese right-hander allowed seven hits, struck out seven and walked one. Gutierrez tied it at 3 with a leadoff drive to centre in the third. Gutierrez, who missed much of the season with hamstring issues, has six home runs in 69 at bats. The Mariners looked ready to close out the game in the ninth, but were unable to score after a promising start to the inning. Michael Saunders led off with a single, and Dustin Ackley followed with a bunt. The ball popped off his bat to the pitchers mound, but reliever Neal Cotts had rushed in and the ball went over his head, giving Ackley a single and putting runners on first and second. Scheppers then came in and escaped the threat. Humberto Quintero also popped up his bunt, which was caught this time by first baseman Moreland. Pinch hitter Nick Franklin and second baseman Brad Miller struck out to send the game to extra innings. NOTES: Seattle C Mike Zunino, who has been on the disabled list since July 26 with a broken bone in his left wrist, started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma. "Hell be down there the rest of the week and well see where were at," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. ... The Mariners closed the clubhouse before the game for a team meeting. "I just wanted to talk to them," Wedge said. "What Im seeing is not what were about. Not that theyre playing bad baseball, they havent, but we just havent scored any runs." ... Beltres 10th inning single extended his 12-game hitting streak against the Mariners. ' ' '