DETROIT -- Of all the teams he's faced this season, Ricky Nolasco has been most effective against the Detroit Tigers. The Kansas City Royals are counting on that to continue tonight.

Nolasco owns a 2.03 ERA in two starts against the Tigers this season, including eight shutout innings at Target Field on Sept. 16. If he can do something similar tonight, when he faces Tigers rookie Kyle Lobstein, the AL Central race will come down to the season's final day -- or longer. The Royals trail Detroit by one game, and face the White Sox tonight in Chicago. If there is a tie, a one-game playoff will take place Monday, with the winner advancing to the division series, and the loser forced into the wild-card playoff game.

So there's actual pennant-race pressure in Comerica Park, and the Twins are enjoying their chance to take part, even from last place. "I'm going to approach it as a must-win," said Kyle Gibson, who will start the finale on Sunday. "You can learn a lot from seeing this kind of pressure."

Here are the lineups for tonight's game:

TWINS

Santana SS

Dozier 2B

Mauer 1B

Vargas DH

Pinto C

Arcia RF

Escobar 3B

Herrmann LF

Hicks CF

Nolasco RHP

TIGERS

Kinsler 2B

Hunter RF

Cabrera 1B

V. Martinez DH

J.D. Martinez LF

Castellanos 3B

Avila C

Romine SS

Davis CF

Lobstein LHP