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MINNEAPOLIS -- Its been a rough go of it for Ervin Santana in his first season-and-a-half with Minnesota.On Wednesday, he finally resembled the pitcher the Twins thought they were getting when they signed him to a $55 million, four-year deal.Santana struck out eight and walked none in a two-hitter that led the Twins over the Oakland Athletics 4-0.Santana (3-7) needed just 100 pitches for his eighth shutout and 15th complete game, helping the Twins take two of three from the As. Joe Mauer had three hits and an RBI.Every time you do it with a new team, its even better, said Santana, who was suspended for 80 games last year after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance. It builds more confidence for me and for the team.Sonny Gray (3-8) gave up one run, six hits and four walks in six innings, losing his seventh straight decision, the longest active skid in the American League. Billy Butlers two-out double in the fifth and Stephen Vogts leadoff single in the eighth were Oaklands lone hits.I havent had many decisions in a year and a half of letting a guy go out there to try get a shutout, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. But he was dominant.Minnesota got off to a historically bad start and quickly got buried in the AL Central. But the Twins have won four of their last five games and each of their last three series at home.The bleary-eyed clubs were back at it on Wednesday less than 12 hours after finishing a rain-delayed game that started at 9:52 p.m.I know it was a long night last night, Santana said. I just came today and tried to put zeros on the board.Both teams appeared to be swinging heavy bats, and Minnesota stranded 12, going 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.Santana frustrated Oaklands hitters all afternoon. Josh Reddick slammed his bat in anger after popping out to the catcher in the fourth inning and Khris Davis did the same after a strikeout in the seventh.We had some good at-bats off him at times and we had some non-competitive at-bats, Vogt said. When a pitcher has his stuff and you dont have consistent at-bats against him its going to be hard to win. He was very, very good today.As sharp as Santana was, he didnt have much cushion for most of the afternoon because the Twins kept leaving runners on base against Gray. They left nine on in the first six innings before finally scratching two more runs across.Danny Santana had three hits, including a double, a triple and a run scored for Minnesota.SANTANAS GEMIt was Santanas first complete game since a one-hitter for the Angels against Arizona on June 16, 2012. It was the first shutout by a Twins pitcher since Andrew Albers in 2013.SPEEDY NUNEZTwins All-Star Eduardo Nunez stole his 20th base this season in the third inning. That made him the first Twins player to swipe at least 20 bases before the All-Star break since Carlos Gomez had 21 in 2008.As BULLPENOaklands bullpen entered with a 5.63 ERA in its 22 games. Opponents were hitting .312 off of As relievers, and they had another rough day on Wednesday.Marc Rzepczynski was charged with two runs on one hit and didnt record an out in the seventh inning. And John Axford didnt give him any help when he walked Max Kepler with the bases loaded and gave up a sacrifice fly to Eddie Rosario to give Santana some breathing room.TRAINERS ROOMAthletics: RHP Fernando Rodriguez was played on the disabled list after an MRI revealed a strained rotator cuff. Manager Bob Melvin said there is no timetable for a return, but he would not need surgery.Twins: SS Eduardo Escobar was available after missing the last two games with a strained hamstring.UP NEXTAthletics: LHP Rich Hill (8-3, 2.31) will start the series opener at Houston on Thursday.Twins: Minnesota opens a four-game series in Texas on Thursday, sending RHP Tyler Duffey (4-6, 4.62) to the mound against RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-1, 9.53). Adidas NMD R1 Sverige . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. NMD Dam Rea . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies. http://www.nmdsverige.com/stan-smith-adidas-skor.html .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. Adidas Yung 96 Svart . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Adidas NMD Sverige . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action.Simon Zebo makes his 100th appearance for Munster as they travel to the Sportsground to take on rivals Connacht, live on Sky Sports. Zebo joins Keith Earls and Darren Sweetnam in the back three, with Sweetnam one of three changes to the side that lost 16-13 to Leinster earlier in the month.Dave OCallaghan makes way for CJ Stander, who moves from No 8 to accommodate the incoming Jack ODonoghue, while Mike Sherry making a return at hooker. Second-placed Connacht have won two of their last three fixtures against Munster, but have never achieved a season double over their neighbours.Connacht were beaten 33-32 by Grenoble in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals last week, and they too have made three changes to their side, with one enforced.With Danie Poolman injured, Matt Healy returns to the left wing while Robbie Henshaw is named at full-back. Academy centre Peter Robb partners Bundee Aki in midfield and the half-back pairing of Shane OLeary and scrum-half Kieran Marmion is retained. With the weather promising to hold up, its set up to be a cracker of a game - the sort of rugby you want to be playing in front of a big crowd at this time of the season. Connacht coach Pat Lam Aly Muldowney packs down next to Ireland international Ultan Dillane in the second row, while Eoin McKeon has recovered from illness to start in the back row with Sean OBrien and No 8 John Muldoon.Jack Carty is in line to make his first appearance since having his spleen removed ten weeks ago as he is named on the bench.Its another big challenge tomorrow bbut were very excited by it, said Connacht coach Pat Lam.ddddddddddddWe have a lot of respect for Munster and what they have achieved. I have no doubt that as a province with huge history and pride they will come here with intensity and focus. Connachts Robbie Henshaw shifts to full-back for the visit of Munster We will need to continue to channel our work ethic and physicality into our team structures to get the valuable points on offer. With the weather promising to hold up, its set up to be a cracker of a game - the sort of rugby you want to be playing in front of a big crowd at this time of the season.Connacht: 15 Robbie Henshaw, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Bundee Aki, 12 Peter Robb, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Shane OLeary, 9 Kieran Marmion; 1 Denis Buckley, 2 Tom McCartney, 3 Finlay Bealham, 4 Ultan Dillane, 5 Aly Muldowney, 6 Sean OBrien, 7 Eoin McKeon, 8 John Muldoon (c).Replacements: 16 Jason Harris-Wright, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 JP Cooney, 19 Andrew Browne, 20 James Connolly, 21 John Cooney, 22 Jack Carty, 23 Fionn Carr.Munster: 15 Simon Zebo, 14 Darren Sweetnam, 13 Francis Saili, 12 Rory Scannell, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Johnny Holland, 9 Conor Murray; 1 James Cronin, 2 Mike Sherry, 3 Stephen Archer, 4 Donnacha Ryan, 5 Billy Holland, 6 CJ Stander (c), 7 Tommy ODonnell, 8 Jack ODonoghue.Replacements: 16 Niall Scannell, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 John Ryan, 19 Robin Copeland, 20 Jordan Coghlan, 21 Tomás OLeary, 22 Ian Keatley, 23 Andrew Conway.Watch Connacht take on Munster live on Sky Sports 5 from 7pm this Saturday. 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