MINNEAPOLIS -- Heading into his teams day-night doubleheader against Kansas City, one of Ron Gardenhires top priorities was protecting Minnesotas taxed bullpen. Cheap Jerseys . Scott Diamond and Cole De Vries eased their managers concerns. Diamond began the day tossing eight solid innings in a 7-2 victory, and De Vries closed it with six strong innings as the Twins completed the day-night sweep by beating the Royals 5-1 on Saturday night. "A long day of baseball, and two nice wins," Gardenhire said. The pair of victories helped the Twins finish June with a 14-13 record -- their first winning month in almost a year. "Geez, thats the first Ive heard of it," said Joe Mauer, who hit his fourth homer in the second game. "But, you know, weve been playing pretty good baseball and hopefully we can continue to do that." Josh Willingham and Chris Parmelee also homered for the Twins in the second game. But the story was De Vries, who was called up as the 26th player on the roster as allowed for doubleheaders -- and promptly sent back down the minors after the victory. "He wouldnt be able to pitch for probably four or five days right now," Gardenhire said. "Weve got eight until the All-Star break, it doesnt make much sense to keep him here." De Vries took the move in stride. "Coming here, I knew I was the 26th guy, and usually the guy who comes up to be the 26th guy goes back down, and so I kind of figured that was going to happen," he said. Pitching in front of his hometown fans, De Vries (2-1) struck out a career-high six and held the Royals to five hits. Kansas Citys lone run against him came on Billy Butlers homer leading off the second. Luke Hochevar (5-8) allowed five runs and eight hits, including Minnesotas three homers. A night after throwing five relief innings, the Twins bullpen was needed for only four combined in the doubleheader thanks to Diamond and De Vries. Twins relievers entered the day with the third-most innings pitched in the majors. De Vries struck out four in the first two innings, fanning Jarrod Dyson and Alcides Escobar to work out of a second-inning jam with runners at second and third. Alex Burnett, Tyler Robertson and Jared Burton each pitched an inning of scoreless relief. Hochevar entered the game having thrown 16 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings after stopping Houston and Tampa Bay. After Mauers two-out single in the first, Willingham homered. In the second, Parmelee hit his first homer of the season on a shot to deep right. Mauers solo homer to left-centre, the former AL MVPs first since June 2 and fourth overall, barely cleared the wall to make it 4-1 in the third. Before Saturday, Hochevar had given up only two home runs in his previous 42 2/3 innings. "Two of those home runs came with two strikes when Im trying to put a guy away, and I just felt like my curveball didnt have that finish, that bite," Hochevar said. Trevor Plouffe, who homered in the first game, scored on Darin Mastroiannis RBI single in the sixth. Easily the Twins most effective starter since being called up in May, Diamond (7-3) allowed two runs and six hits to give Minnesota a big lift. "I was feeling confident earlier, this is just icing on the cake I guess," Diamond said. "Im pretty happy to be able to just keep going out. With a doubleheader today, Im just trying to eat up as many innings as possible." Jonathan Sanchez (1-4) didnt fare nearly as well. While Diamond cruised through Kansas Citys lineup, Sanchez issued six walks and was done after 4 1-3 innings. Both starters finished with 101 pitches. Minnesota strung together five consecutive hits to open a 6-0 lead in the fifth inning, including a strange RBI single from Brian Dozier. With one out and runners on first and second, Doziers bouncer hit the ground behind him and rolled fair. While Sanchez and catcher Brayan Pena scrambled after the ball, Dozier sprinted safely to first and Ryan Doumit scored all the way from second. Alexi Casilla added a two-run double and Denard Span had an RBI single before Royals manager Ned Yost brought in Vin Mazzaro. Yuniesky Betancourt drove in Kansas Citys first run with a groundout in the sixth. He also singled in a run in the eighth. Diamond struck out four and walked two while pitching eight innings for the second consecutive start. Glen Perkins finished the seven-hitter. "The first game, we were dead," Royals outfielder Jeff Francoeur said. "It carried over to the second game. Were a much better hitting team than to do what we did today. Its disappointing." NOTES: Sanchez pitched five effective innings to win at the Los Angeles Angels in his first start of the season on April 8, but has struggled since that victory. He is 0-4 with a 7.19 ERA in his last nine starts. ... The doubleheader was a makeup of an April 28 rainout. Wholesale Jerseys China . Relive all the drama at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt on TSN and TSN Mobile TV. The NHL on TSNs James Duthie hosts tonights broadcast alongside 1972 Summit Series teammates Bobby Clarke and Peter Mahovlich. You can also join TSN. China Jerseys . The Colts announced Wednesday the hiring of Ryan Grigson to take over the post. Vice-chairman Bill Polian and his son, Chris, the clubs former general manager, were both fired last week following the clubs 2-14 season. http://www.stitchedchina.com/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Wholesale Jerseys From China . surrendered in a courtroom Friday to begin a three-month jail sentence for attacking his ex-girlfriend in September 2010 while two of their children watched. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . Manager Dusty Baker plans to use Broxton as a set-up man for closer Aroldis Chapman, who has dominated while finishing games. Baker said Broxton could be used in save situations when Chapman has pitched several days in a row. The Reds surged into the NL Central lead by winning 10 in a row before their 11-5 loss to San Diego on Monday night.UFA, Russia -- They were the first players selected in the last two NHL drafts by the same club, but the first time Canadas Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Russias Nail Yakupov step on the ice together, theyll be combatants. The captains of their respective countries at the world junior hockey championship provide an intriguing and unusual subplot to what is already billed as the biggest game of the preliminary round. The winner of Mondays meeting will top Pool B and gain a bye to the semifinal, while the loser must advance via a quarter-final. The other prominent storyline is which of the Edmonton Oilers prized prospects can lead their country to an advantageous playoff position. "I havent seen him play live yet so Im excited about that," Nugent-Hopkins said of the Russian earlier this week. "Obviously hes a special player and I look forward to playing with him in a couple of years." Nugent-Hopkins, from Burnaby, B.C., was the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft by Edmonton and has already played one season with the Oilers. Hes Canadas first-line centre in Ufa because the NHL lockout made him available to this years Canadian team. Nugent-Hopkins didnt play in the world junior tournament at 18 years of age because he remained with the Oilers, although he did play in this years world mens championship. Edmonton made Yakupov, from Nizhnekamsk, the first draft pick this year. Its likely the 19-year-old would be in their lineup and teammates with Nugent-Hopkins already if not for the lockout. Yakupov has drawn extra Canadian attention to him this tournament. In an English translation of a Russian story published on the eve of the tournament, he was quoted as calling Canadian players "dirty." That drew ire on Twitter from Don Cherry. Yakupov didnt make himself available to reporters at the tournament until Sunday, during the third period of Canadas 2-1 win over the U.S., when he was asked to clarify what he meant. "I said a different thing," Yakupov said in English before adding through an interpreter: "The sense was lost during the translation. Theres no sense right now to explain what happened two weeks ago. I dont want to comment. Just ask me questions about tomorrows game." The Russian was as complimentary of Nugent-Hopkins. "Hes a good player," Yakupov said of his future teammate. "He shows a great game. Hes got poiints. Wholesale Jerseys. Hes pretty good. Well see tomorrow." Nugent-Hopkins says he and Yakupov have never been on the ice together. They spoke briefly at this years NHL draft in Pittsburgh in June, but since neither anticipated the lockout then, the subject of the world junior championship in Ufa didnt come up. The lockouts of both 2004-05 and 1994-95 also provided the world junior championship those years with the first overall picks from the previous two NHL drafts. In 2005, it was Russias Alexander Ovechkin (Washington, 2004) and Canadian goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh, 2003). In 1995, it was Canadian defenceman Ed Jovanovski (Florida, 1994) and forward Alexander Daigle (Ottawa, 1993). Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini isnt in Ufa, but expects Mondays game to be a proud moment for the franchise. "Theyre both going to be in the moment and to be able to see Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the captain of Team Canada, and Nail Yakupov, the captain of Russia play each other, without a doubt is going to be exciting for everyone in our organization." Tambellini said. Nugent-Hopkins leads the tournament in scoring with three goals and five assists in three games. Yakupov has a goal and three assists in three games. The six-foot, 185-pound Nugent-Hopkins, a finalist for last seasons Calder Trophy as the top rookie in NHL, has silkiness and finesse in his game and brings the poise of a player with an full season already under his belt. The five-foot-11, 161-pound Yakupov, who is playing for his hometown KHL club this winter, combines raw power with strong puck skills. Theres considerable expectations on Yakupov, and the entire Russian team, to win gold. To beat a lockout-enhanced Canadian team Monday and enjoy the extra day of rest in the medal round that goes to the winner could be significant in their quest. "Were going to play calmly. Were not going to get too emotional," Yakupov said. "Its going to be a good game. Were in a good mood." Nugent-Hopkins says the head-to-head between he and Yakupov takes a back seat to the bigger picture Monday. "You cant really have a rivalry," Nugent-Hopkis said. "Were going to be on the same team in a couple of years. "For me and all the guys in the room, for sure its Russia versus Canada. Its going to be an intense game. We look forward to games like that." ' ' '