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MINNEAPOLIS -- Hours after trading Vidal Nuno to Arizona for Brandon McCarthy and cutting outfielder Alfonso Soriano, the New York Yankees took a nine-run lead by the fourth inning and seemed set for a laugher at Target Field. The game ended with the potential go-ahead run at the plate. Jacoby Ellsbury homered, doubled and drove in four runs as Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 9-7 Sunday after their roster shakeup and moved back above .500 at 44-43. "Sometimes you cant really pinpoint it, but we like where were at right now," Ellsbury said. "Hopefully keep it rolling." Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki each had three hits for the Yankees, who have won 14 of 18 overall at Target Field. Jeters ninth-inning single made him the eighth player to reach 3,400 hits. "We pay a little bit of attention, but I dont think he pays too close attention to it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Obviously, hes going to end up way up there in record books. He pays more attention to wins, and thats what we worry about." New York took three of four from the Twins after losing nine of its previous 11. The 38-year-old Soriano is in the final year of a $136 million, eight-year contract he signed with the Chicago Cubs, who traded him last summer to the Yankees, where he began his big league career. He was hitting .221 this season with six homers and 23 RBIs in 67 games. New York has 10 days to trade Soriano or place him on unconditional waivers. "Hes a guy thats used to playing every day," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Wasnt every day for him. Maybe it was harder for him to get going, not sure. Im sure hes extremely disappointed." New York catcher Brian McCann returned to the lineup after missing two games because of a sore foot and doubled home Jeter in the first. Ellsburys three-run homer off Ricky Nolasco (5-7) capped a four-run burst in the second that made it 6-0. Hiroki Kuroda (6-6) allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings, his poorest outing since mid-June. Minnesota closed with four runs in the fourth, and one in each of the last three innings. After Oswaldo Arcias two-out RBI single pulled the Twins within two runs and left runners at the corners, David Robertson got Kurt Suzuki to hit a grounder to shortstop, where Jeter threw to second baseman Brian Roberts for the final out. Robertson got his 21st save in 23 chances. Jeter drove in two runs in his last scheduled game at Minnesota, although hes expected back later this month for the All-Star game. Nolasco lasted a season-low two innings as Minnesota lost for the 10th time in 13 games. "They hit everything he threw up there," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We got to go better than that. He did nothing for us today. He didnt give us a chance." Trevor Plouffe had an RBI double in the fourth and Chris Colabello followed with a two-run homer, his second home run in three games since his recall from the minors. Plouffe added a solo home run in the eighth. "Cant keep getting behind like this. It just gets back to that," Gardenhire said. "Its the starting pitching. Its not about anything other than that. Weve been struggling scoring runs. We finally put some on the board. But you start a game 6-0, thats no way to play baseball." NOTES: Twins OF Byron Buxton, among the top prospects in the minors, played his first game with Class A Fort Myers after being sidelined with a sprained left wrist. Minnesota GM Terry Ryan said Buxton will play centre field and get two or three at-bats as he works his way back. ... RHP Bruce Billings, recalled Sunday from from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, appears set to start Monday at Cleveland in place of Nuno. He pitched in one game for New York this season, allowing four runs in four innings on April 25 against the Los Angeles Angels. RHP Justin Masterson (4-5, 5.16) starts for the Indians. ... Minnesota will start RHP Kevin Correia (4-10, 4.94) when it plays at Seattle on Monday. The Mariners will use RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (6-4, 3.33). Ricky Rubio Jersey . -- At the beginning of training camp, Andrew Bogut set a goal to play all 82 regular-season games and regain his place among the NBAs best centres. Utah Jazz Jerseys . Louis Blues brought in the premier unrestricted free agent centre, and did it without breaking the bank. http://www.cheapjazzjerseys.info/Authentic-Rudy-Gobert-Jazz-Jersey/ . The Sioux Falls Canaries scored two in the seventh and three more in the eighth to come back from a 3-0 deficit and defeat the Winnipeg Goldeyes 5-3 in front of 6,769 at Shaw Park on Sunday afternoon. Jae Crowder Jersey .com) - Theres nothing better for a team than to send out the staff ace in the most important game of the season. Jonas Jerebko Jersey . The top-ranked Williams carried her winning momentum from 2013 into the new season, beating No. 2-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday to defend her title at the Brisbane International and set the tone for the Australian Open.TORONTO -- Tyler Bozak isnt yet on the cusp of returning. But when hes eligible to come off long-term injured reserve Dec. 29, the Toronto Maple Leafs centre figures his torn oblique will be healed up enough to get back into the lineup. "Its still getting better every day. It feels pretty good now," Bozak said Thursday. "If theres a problem, maybe, but right now it looks like Ill be back right when IR ends." Bozak has been out since Dec. 5 and missed Torontos home game Thursday night against Phoenix. And with the Leafs having placed him on the long-term list, Bozak must also miss upcoming games against Detroit, the New York Rangers and Buffalo before being free to return against Carolina three days before the Winter Classic. The 27-year-old skated with teammates Thursday at the Air Canada Centre but hes obviously on his own track while the Leafs seek to reverse their fortunes. After missing 12 games earlier this year with a hamstring injury, Bozak is dealing with another difficult problem with his oblique. "Kind of like the same thing last year but a lot worse this year," he said. "I dont know what it is, to be honest. "I kind of stressed it a lot on faceoffs. I think it mightve happened on that. I think its just pretty unlucky and nothing you can get too down on yourself about." Bozaks injury came with the Leafs already missing centre Dave Bolland, who still hasnt resumed skating after haviing a tendon in the back of his ankle severed in late October.dddddddddddd The latest injury down the middle came Tuesday night against the Florida Panthers when impressive journeyman callup Trevor Smith broke a bone in his right hand blocking a shot. "I dont know whats going on with us," Bozak said of Torontos injury woes. "I think its all been pretty unfortunate stuff with Smitty and Bolly, things that you never want to see happen and they cant really control by any means." Bozak cant control much right now other than his rehab. Being forced to watch the Leafs go 3-5-0 without him certainly hasnt helped matters. "Its not fun to watch, its never fun to watch," Bozak said. "Its not fun to watch if youre winning or if youre losing. "Obviously you want to be out there helping the guys and stuff like that." Bozak is used to being able to help, typically as the No. 1 centre alongside roommate and friend Phil Kessel, who had two goals in the eight games prior to Thursdays contest with Phoenix. Bozak hasnt had any season like this before and is trying to stay positive. "Ive not really been injured at all, knock on wood, except for college I had surgery on my one knee the one year," he said. "My first years here I missed a handful of games each year, but nothing too serious. "Obviously its been tough, but I hope I can come back stronger and help the team." ' ' '