MINNEAPOLIS -- It wasnt always pretty, but considering the position theyve put themselves in this year, the Tampa Bay Rays cant be too picky. James Loney had two hits and two RBIs and Chris Archer won consecutive decisions for the first time this season as the Rays won their fifth straight with a 5-3 victory against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday. At one point this season it appeared the Rays might have dug too deep a hole to recover. On June 10 they were 24-42, but since that low-water mark theyve gone 23-11 and pulled to within eight games of first place in the AL East. "Were just trying to concentrate on the moment and not thinking that far ahead," Loney said. "And were not thinking about what we did yesterday." The Rays, who went on an 11-4 tear going into the All-Star break, matched their longest winning streak of the season against the punchless Twins, who scored six runs in the three-game series. But they didnt make it easy on themselves Sunday. They committed two errors, both leading to Minnesota runs. They also gave the Twins a run on a wild pitch. And on offence, they stranded 12 runners, including nine in scoring position. "We had so many opportunities to score many more runs and when you keep not doing that you get kind of concerned," manager Joe Maddon said. "When you leave that many guys in scoring position you know its going to bite you at some point." Archer (6-5) pitched 6 1-3 innings, giving up one earned run on six hits while walking two and striking out four. Four relievers combined to get the last eight outs, with rookie Kirby Yates closing out the game for his first career save. Yates had to bail out Grant Balfour, who walked two batters with one out in the ninth. The first batter he faced was Brian Dozier, who took part in the home run derby at Target Field last Monday. But with the winning run at the plate, Yates got Dozier on a grounder to third and retired Eduardo Nunez on a pop out. "Kirby came in, did a nice job against Dozier who can definitely put the ball in the seats, and same thing with Nunez. I thought he was outstanding," said Maddon, who noted that veteran set-up man Joel Peralta was unavailable due to an illness. But he added that getting his young relievers some experience in high-leverage spots is part of his master plan. "We have to grow our bullpen to permit people to not have to pitch so often," Maddon said. "Weve got to get participation from 25 players, including some who are still in Triple-A, if were going to pull this off." Kevin Correia (5-12) took over the major league lead in losses, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks in four innings for Minnesota. The veteran right-hander gave up two runs in the first and single runs in each of the next two innings. In his previous seven starts, Correia was 3-4 but had a sparkling 2.30 ERA in 43 innings pitched. Instead, Correia got off to a shaky start on Sunday and never recovered. Desmond Jennings led off the game with a double, and Correia walked the next two batters to load the bases. Loney delivered two runs with a sharp single to give the Rays a lead. "You all saw it, 90 pitches in four innings and it was a hard 90, not an easy 90," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said of Correias outing. "He laboured through it and kept the damage to a minimum. But he laboured through it." Notes: Evan Longorias second double of the game gave him 216 in his career, passing Carl Crawford for the most in franchise history. He also tied Crawford for the franchise lead with 592 career RBIs. . Twins 1B Joe Mauer swung a bat on Sunday for the first time since he went on the 15-day DL on July 2 with a strained right oblique. Twins GM Terry Ryan said that Mauer didnt face pitching or hit off a tee, but the "dry swings" were a sign that "things are going in the right direction." ... Ryan also said he would wait until Monday to announce the Twins starting pitcher for Tuesdays game against Cleveland. RHP Samuel Deduno, who has made eight starts this season for the Twins, pitched three innings of relief on Sunday and is not a candidate to start on Tuesday. Nike Air Max 720 Wholesale . -- LeGarrette Blount made one last big splash into a soggy end zone. Yeezy Boost China Wholesale . - After a back-and-forth battle throughout the season, Alex Guenette has earned the 2013 rookie of the year award for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 by just one point over Ryley Seibert. http://www.brandshoescheaponline.com/who...ce-1-china.html. -- The Sacramento Kings have signed first-round pick Nik Stauskas to his rookie contract. Air Max 270 React Discount .com) - The Winnipeg Jets placed defenceman Paul Postma on injured reserve Tuesday. Cheap Vapormax China . Off-Season Game Plan looks at what the Blue Jackets may do to build upon last seasons success to return to the playoffs again next year. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Coach K said he hoped this game would live up to its billing. It did, and then some. Jerami Grant scored eight points in overtime to finish with a career-high 24 and Jim Boeheims No. 2 Syracuse stayed unbeaten, topping Mike Krzyzewskis No. 17 Duke 91-89 on Saturday in a matchup of the two winningest coaches in Division I history. The Orange withstood a tying 3-pointer in regulation and won before a Carrier Dome record crowd of 35,446. "It was just a great game," Boeheim said after career victory No. 941. "I dont think Ive ever been involved in a better game in here where both teams played at such a high level. Both teams just went after it. Weve had a lot of games that have been here that are great. Theres never been one as good as this one." C.J. Fair scored a career-best 28 points as Syracuse (21-0, 8-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) set a school record for consecutive wins to start a season. The Orange remained one of three undefeated teams in the nation, along with No. 1 Arizona and No. 4 Wichita State. "I knew for us to win I would have to contribute offensively," said Fair, who shot 12 of 20. "I was able to not force things once I got going. I felt I was the hot hand and my teammates kept giving me the ball." Grant took over in the extra period, slamming home three dunks as Duke was forced to downsize after Jabari Parker and Amile Jefferson fouled out in the final two minutes of regulation. "They were playing small. We knew we had a lot of mismatches around the court," Grant said. "After I got the first dunk, they just kept feeding me." Dukes Rasheed Sulaimon beat the buzzer in regulation with an off-balance 3-pointer that tied it at 78. The Blue Devils led 87-84 with 80 seconds left in overtime before Syracuse rallied. "Both teams played with so much heart," Krzyzewski said. "We were scrambling a lot because of our foul trouble and our kids scrambled well. They scrambled well enough to put us in a position to win ... Just a tough loss." Syracuse students camped out in the bitter cold for nearly two weeks and were part of a crowd that was charged up from the start for the first ACC meeting between these longtime powers. It was Dukes first game against the Orange in the Carrier Dome. Parker had 15 points and nine rebounds for Duke (17-5, 6-3). The Blue Devils, who had won five in a row, get their chance to avenge the loss in three weeks when the teams meet again at Cameron Indoor Stadium. "We just needed one more play, whether it was a rebound or a shot going in," said Andre Dawkins, who scored five points in overtime before fouling out in the final minute. "We just needed one play." From the moment Boeheim and Krzyzewski walked ontoo Jim Boeheim Court to a deafening roar and hugged at midcourt surrounded by a sea of orange, the atmosphere was electric.dddddddddddd Singing and acting star Vanessa Williams, a Syracuse alum and former Miss America, performed the national anthem. The game was chock full of story lines, well before the tipoff. Two Hall of Fame coaches and good friends with a combined 1,914 wins who had only met twice before on opposing benches, each winning once. Boeheims signature 2-3 zone defence vs. Krzyzewskis intense man-to-man. Fair, Syracuses leading scorer, vs. Dawkins, a fifth-year senior who leads the ACC in 3-point shooting. Parker vs. Syracuse point guard Tyler Ennis of Brampton, Ont., two of the most accomplished freshmen in the country. The game was tied at 78 after regulation, and there were two more ties in the extra session. Grant had three straight slams for the Orange, while Dawkins hit a follow and a 3 from the top of the key as Duke took a three-point lead with 1:20 left. Two free throws by Ennis got Syracuse within one and two more by Grant put the Orange up 88-87 with 39 seconds left. Dukes Rodney Hood missed a dunk attempt against Rakeem Christmas with 12.2 seconds remaining -- Hood wanted a foul but nothing was called. Two more free throws by Ennis as Jefferson fouled out made it 90-87. Sulaimon sank a pair of free throws for Duke to make it a one-point game with 9.4 seconds left. Fair made one of two from the foul line with 5.5 seconds to go. Duke scrambled to get off a last shot and Quinn Cook missed a rushed fling from the right wing at the buzzer as Syracuse escaped. Grant had 12 rebounds. Trevor Cooney and Ennis each scored 14 points for the Orange. Ennis had nine assists with two turnovers in a game in which both teams committed just eight and Christmas had seven points, 10 rebounds and six of Syracuses nine blocks. Sulaimon finished with 16 points. Jefferson, Dawkins, and Hood finished with 14 points for Duke, which made 15 of 36 on 3s. Syracuse led 38-35 at the break and Fair continued the play that made him the preseason pick for ACC player of the year. Parkers three-point play at 11:05 gave Duke a 56-54 lead, its first since just past the midpoint of the opening half. But just when he seemed set to spark the Blue Devils, Parker picked up two quick fouls to give him four and Dawkins was whistled for his fourth just over a minute later. Fair responded by scoring eight points as the Orange went up 66-59 with 6:37 left. Undaunted, Tyler Thornton rescued Duke with three 3-pointers in less than two minutes and Parkers basket underneath tied it at 70-all with 3:53 to play. Sulaimon hit two 3-pointers in the final minute of regulation. He got a chance at a four-point play, but missed the foul shot with 47.6 seconds left. ' ' '