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Twins storm back to sweep White Sox
After a five-run rally before 43,601 at the Metrodome, the Twins stood alone atop the AL Central for the first time in a month.
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Minnesota takes a 1/2-game lead in the AL Central
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The Twins had clumsy moments and painful moments.
They had moments that brought their fans hair-pulling frustration and spine-tingling excitement.
They lost Kevin Slowey to a wrist injury. They fell behind by five runs.
But by late Thursday night, the Twins were jumping and dancing in the infield, celebrating a 7-6, 10-inning victory over the White Sox that gave them sole possession of first place for the first time since Aug. 23.
Alexi Casilla sliced a single into short center field, scoring Nick Punto from third base, giving the Twins a three-game sweep in front of an announced crowd of 43,601 at the Metrodome.
"This was probably the best game that I've been a part of in my career," said Twins closer Joe Nathan, who pitched two perfect innings for the victory.
The Twins enter the final weekend of the regular season with a half-game lead over the White Sox. Chicago will play host to Cleveland, while Kansas City visits the Metrodome.
"It feels like you should quit playing right now and be in the playoffs," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said in a hoarse voice. "But we still have three tough games against a tough Kansas City team that is playing very well."
The Twins fell behind 6-1 in the fourth inning on the play that sent Slowey to Hennepin County Medical Center. After taking a line drive from Juan Uribe off his right wrist, Slowey threw wildly to first base, allowing three runs to score.
X-rays showed no broken bones, but Slowey will have a magnetic resonance imaging exam today, and Gardenhire was clearly concerned.
By then, the Twins already had seen Carlos Gomez and Denard Span collide, trying to catch a fly ball by Jim Thome on the right-center field warning track.
But the Twins set aside all the disappointment. Gomez spearheaded the comeback with two triples that electrified the crowd -- one in the fourth inning and one in the sixth.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen tried to stop Gomez with closer Bobby Jenks in the eighth inning, but Gomez singled to right field, scoring Brian Buscher to make it 6-5.
Span followed with his own electrifying moment, racing around the bases for the game-tying, RBI triple to right field.
"I've never had a feeling like that playing this game," Span said. "Definitely, by far, that was the biggest hit of my career."
Casilla was 2-for-12 for the series when he came to the plate in the 10th inning with two outs and runners at the corners.
"That at-bat, I said, I've gotta wait for a good pitch to hit," he said
He got it, and the result left the Twins piling on each other in the infield.
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