NEW YORK -- There wasnt much reaction at Yankee Stadium when Phil Hughes name was announced during pregame introductions Sunday. Alec Ogletree Giants Jersey . A small smattering of boos, maybe. Mostly, collective apathy from a crowd still filing in. Then the right-hander went out and showed New York fans hes no longer the floundering pitcher they last saw. Looking all grown up on the mound with a well-manicured beard, Hughes threw eight poised innings in his return to the Bronx and wound up a winner when the Minnesota Twins rallied past the Yankees 7-2 behind big hits from Josh Willingham and Brian Dozier in a six-run ninth. "It was a little bit strange," said Hughes, who tipped his cap to New York pitching coach Larry Rothschild while walking onto the field. "But once I got on the mound, it just kind of cleared away and I was just able to focus on how I was going to pitch. After the first inning, I was just hoping I wouldnt start walking toward their dugout." Willingham belted a tying homer on the first pitch from closer David Robertson, denying rookie Chase Whitley his first major league victory. Robertson (0-2) then walked two batters and gave up Doziers two-out double, putting the Twins on top 3-2. Eduardo Nunez, also let go by the Yankees, lined a two-run double on Matt Daleys first pitch. Oswaldo Arcia added a two-run single off Matt Thornton to make it 7-2, all but sealing Minnesotas second victory in the three-game series. Hughes (6-1) held his former team to three hits -- all in a row to begin the fourth -- and retired his final 15 batters during his sixth straight win. "I dont think it means more than any other start," he said. "A little bit more nerves than usual, but thankfully I was throwing strikes early and was able to make some pitches," Hughes explained. "Obviously, it was a half-inning away from being a different story, but the guys rallied there in the ninth and it was a solid win for us." Hughes never quite lived up to lofty expectations in New York, though he did make his mark during seven seasons in pinstripes. He was a key member of the bullpen in 2009, helping the Yankees to a World Series championship, and made the All-Star team while winning 18 games the following year. But he faded to 4-14 with a 5.19 ERA last season, struggling with the homer-friendly dimensions at Yankee Stadium. With the second-highest flyball ratio among major league starters, he went 1-10 with a 6.32 ERA at home. "He didnt need too much real estate here today," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. Minnesota, which plays at pitcher-friendly Target Field, signed Hughes to a $24 million, three-year contract in December, and hes off to a terrific start with his new team. He was 5-0 with a 1.94 ERA in his previous seven starts, and acknowledged Friday there would be "some weird at-bats" when he faced his former teammates. "We all know how big this is for him," Gardenhire said before the game. Hughes came right after the Yankees with 91-94 mph fastballs and cutters. He faced the minimum through three innings and only had trouble in the fourth. Brett Gardner tripled off the auxiliary scoreboard in right-centre and Derek Jeter singled. After a single by Jacoby Ellsbury and a rare walk to Brian McCann, Hughes did not permit another baserunner. "He never stopped attacking," Gardenhire said. Ichiro Suzukis bases-loaded sacrifice fly gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead. It stayed that way until the ninth, when Robertson was charged with five runs in two-thirds of an inning. He was booed off the mound after his second blown save in 14 chances since taking over as closer for Mariano Rivera. "I just made some big mistakes and it cost us the game," Robertson said. "I stunk today, what can I say? ... Im itching to get out there to prove I can still do this." Hughes struck out six and walked two, throwing 72 of 100 pitches for strikes against a lineup missing injured sluggers Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran. "These are the guys we have and theyve got to find a way to get it done," manager Joe Girardi said. Trevor Plouffe had a two-out RBI single for the Twins in the third. Hughes went 178 straight batters without issuing a walk before McCann drew a free pass on a full count leading off the second. "He was more mad about that than anything else," Gardenhire said. Dozier turned an artful double play to end the inning. The second baseman grabbed a bouncer toward the middle and went into a neat pop-up slide, touching the bag with his glove before throwing to first just in time to get Suzuki. NOTES: Beltran (elbow) is headed to Tampa, Florida, to begin taking at-bats in extended spring training Monday. ... New York RHP David Phelps (1-2, 3.38 ERA) faces Seattle ace Felix Hernandez (7-1, 2.57) on Monday night in the makeup of an April 30 rainout. ... Minnesota RHP Kyle Gibson (4-4) starts Monday night in Milwaukee against ex-Twin Matt Garza (2-4). Ray-Ray Armstrong Giants Jersey . The goals took Liverpools tally in the Premier League this season to 70, overtaking Manchester City as the top scorers, and left the fourth-place team just four points behind league leader Chelsea. Patrick Omameh Giants Jersey . -- Canadian mens rugby coach Kieran Crowley has made four changes to his starting roster for Saturdays Pacific Nations Cup clash against the United States. http://www.nygiantsfanatic.com/c-91-giants-kyle-lauletta-jersey.aspx .Balotelli uploaded on Instagram a picture of the video-game character Super Mario, with whom the Italy international shares a nickname, with text around the image including jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew.PHILADELPHIA -- Flyers coach Craig Berube wasnt surprised by the way the Philadelphia bounced back on Saturday from a blowout loss because hes seen that type of resilience all season. Wayne Simmonds had a goal and an assist to lead Philadelphia to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Vincent Lecvalier, Sean Couturier and Luke Schenn also scored for Philadelphia, which rebounded from a 7-3 home defeat to San Jose on Thursday. Chris Kreider and Derick Brassard scored for the Rangers, who lost for just the second time in their past nine games. Philadelphia came out with an edge in the first period following Thursdays loss that Berube called "embarrassing." The Flyers improved to 4-0-1 this season following games in which theyve been beaten by four or more goals. "I think our guys have good character," Berube said. "I was pretty confident wed come out and play hard." Unlike Thursday against the Sharks, Berube liked what he saw on Saturday versus the Rangers. "Theyre a fast, hard-working team and if you want to compete with them you need to play a fast, hard game," he said. The opening 20 minutes featured physical play by both sides, including big hits from Philadelphias Zac Rinaldo on Daniel Carcillo and New Yorks Derek Stepan on Steve Downie, among others. The teams lingered on the ice for several minutes after the first-period horn, with the Rangers seemingly upset by a check from Brayden Schenn in front of New Yorks bench late in the period. The Flyers scored twice in the opening period, with the goals coming 1:06 apart. Lecavalier opened the scoring at 7:04 on a goal that went off Rangers defenceman Anton Stralman. "Thats huge," Lecavalier said. "You want to get that first goal and we got that." Brayden Schenn first was credited with the goal, but it was changed in between periods. Couturier followed with his 10th goal of the season at 8:10, beautifully deking past Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and roofing the puck with a forehand shot into an empty net from a difficult angle. It looked as if the Rangers cut the deficit in half early in the second period, but Benoit Pouliots apparent tally was waved off because Pouliot deflected the puck past Flyers goalie Steve Mason with a high stick. Mason finished with 33 saves. Mason was pulled in Thursdays defeat to San Jose, and he was happy to bounce back with a victory. The fact that he outdueled one of the games premier goalies was secondary. "It feels good," Mason said. "But I wasnt going out there (thinking) Steve Mason versus Henrik Lundqvist. I was trying to help the Flyers beat the Rangers, and thats what we did. Cody Latimer Jersey. " New York got on the board a few minutes later when Kreider tipped Rick Nashs pass past Mason and just inside the post from close range. After Kreider missed a great chance to tie the game when his backhanded attempt at an empty net went wide with 10 minutes left in the period, Brassards power-play goal at 11:42 of the second tied the game at 2. Brassards slap shot from the slot after a perfect pass from Brad Richards went off Masons pads and through his legs. Simmonds beat Lundqvist through the legs on a forehand shot from a tough angle on the power play at 13:23 to put Philadelphia back in front 3-2. "I read a high shot and he went five-hole," Lundqvist said. "I thought I was patient on the shot; he just beat me. I thought overall we played a really good game and created a lot of good chances. Disappointing, obviously, but I thought we did a lot of good things." Philadelphia had an apparent goal waved off 3 1/2 minutes into the third period when the officials ruled that Lundqvist had covered the puck even though it trickled into the goal. Mason kept the Flyers in front with a strong, sprawling pad save on Stepan from just in front of the crease with 10 minutes left. Luke Schenn provided an insurance goal with 3:45 left, beating Lundqvist with a wrister from the slot. Lundqvist, who didnt start the Rangers first game following the Olympic break after helping Sweden earn the silver medal in Sochi, finished with 27 saves. He entered the Olympic break having won his last five starts. In his last 14 games against Philadelphia entering Saturday, Lundqvist was 12-2-0 with a 1.77 GAA. Philadelphia defenceman Kimmo Timonen returned to the lineup after sitting out Thursdays 7-3 loss to San Jose to rest after returning from Sochi and had two assists. Timonen helped Finland to the bronze medal. Philadelphia won for the fourth time in the past 16 meetings with the Rangers. NOTES: Rangers RW Derek Dorsett returned to the lineup for the first time since breaking his fibula on Jan. 3. ... New York centre Mats Zuccarello missed his second straight game after fracturing his left hand in the Olympics. ... Flyers backup goalie Ray Emery (lower body injury) wasnt available. Cal Heeter, who never has played in an NHL game, was called up from the AHLs Adirondack Phantoms to back up Mason. Emery was injured in Thursdays loss to the Sharks after he replaced Mason in the second period. Berube said afterward that Emery wouldnt make the trip to Washington for Sundays game, and the coach declined to name his starting goalie for the matchup. 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