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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- To suggest that LHP Danny Duffy has been the only thing positive about Kansas City Royals pitching in the past month is nearly correct.As the Royals visit the Tampa Bay Rays to open a four-game series, they do so in the midst of a four-game skid that began after Duffys last start, which came after another four-game losing streak.In Kansas Citys last 25 games, the Royals are 5-0 when Duffy starts and 2-18 when he doesnt.He simplified his mechanics, so hes able to repeat them consistently, Royals manager Ned Yost explained Sunday. Hes throwing strikes with all three of his pitches, managing his pitch count very, very effectively. And hes really just turned the corner.And a 27-year-old who has only once had a winning record in five previous seasons -- and that was going 2-0 in five starts in 2013 -- is now 6-1, and again the Royals best chance to pull out of a slide that has seen them drop eight of nine games.The Rays, somehow, are on the opposite tear. After a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees, theyve matched a season high with four straight wins. Theyve done it with the opposite of the Royals problem: reliable, consistent quality starts from their pitching staff.Sundays starter, LHP Blake Snell, gave up two runs in 5 1/3 innings for the win but fell two outs shy of the minimum for a quality start, thus ending a streak of 10 straight quality starts by Rays pitchers.Were starting to see a trend: When you pitch well and play good defense, you give yourself a chance to win consecutive ballgames, said Rays manager Kevin Cash, not far removed from a stretch where the Rays won three of 27 games.The Rays are scheduled to start RHP Chris Archer, who has a major-league-high 14 losses, against the Royals, but theres the possibility he could be dealt in a blockbuster move before Mondays 4 p.m. trading deadline. Archer has been mentioned as a possibility for the Los Angeles Dodgers, though the price would be expensive to pry an All-Star leader from Tampa Bay.The Rays could be very busy -- fellow starters Matt Moore and Jake Odorizzi have both been mentioned as trade targets, as has versatile infielder Steve Pearce, who is a free agent this winter.The three-game sweep this weekend was enough to make the Yankees sellers, trading away prized reliver Andrew Miller, but will it be enough to keep the Rays from moving major pieces of their franchise?As it stands, the Rays being active at the trade deadline would be one thing to help change the momentum of two teams -- the Rays, getting back to their winning ways but far out of contention, and the Royals, hoping to get another win from Duffy, their proven streak-buster. Discount Twins Jerseys . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Justin Morneau Jersey . 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From Rios Flamengo Beach, where his family and supporters watched hundreds of metres away among the flags and umbrellas, the gold medal winning move was a speck in the distance.Out on Guanabara Bay, Tom Burton had just out-smarted and out-sailed Croatias Tonci Stipanovic at his own game.Burton went into the Laser medals race needing to finish five places ahead of fleet leader Stipanovic to clinch the gold.After 10 preliminary races over the past week, he had enough points to guarantee himself a bronze and was likely to win silver.But he wanted gold, even if he rated his chances one out of 10.Stipanovic made it clear at the pre-start he was planning to remove Burton as a challenge and attacked the Australian as they jockeyed for position.Burton wasnt going to engage initially, but saw his opportunity, nicked inside the Croatian and forced him to touch boats.The ensuing penalty left the leader a long way off the back of the fleet as they crossed the start line.Burton was second last but in touch with the rest of the fleet and suddenly one in 10 became a possibility.It couldnt have come off any better, it was perfection, nearly, Burton said.The percentage chance I could pull it of was pretty slim.For the one move that I needed to come off, to come off, waas critical to the race.ddddddddddddMatch race sailing in a single handed boat has been likened to playing chess while running a marathon.Mind and body are working full tilt.Burton was counting off boats and looking back to check on Stipanovic, while his thighs were burning as he leant out the boat, then ducked back in, shifted sides and worked the sail.All this while looking out for wind shifts, waves and the rest of the fleet as his heart rate reached levels similar to a cyclist on a hill climb.At the first of four marks, he was still second last but half a minute clear of Stipanovic and only 12 seconds from fourth.One by one he ticked off the boats he needed to pass as Stipanovic drifted further behind in ninth place in his desperation to try different, but ultimately wrong, angles to make up ground.Right before the bottom mark, I knew I was four ahead of him, Burton said.One leg to go, one boat to pass.He passed two, just to make sure of it.I could sense it, but I didnt want to look, he said of the last downwind leg.He ended up third, with Stipanovic languishing back in ninth ruing his decision to take on the Australian. 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