Twins gladly accept Tigers' help

Marlin Levison, Star Tribune

From left: Denard Span, Orlando Cabrera, Carlos Gomez and Armando Gabino were among the players who were enjoying some horseplay in the Twins dugout Sunday as a short-lived Chicago comeback in the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers was being posted on the Metrodome scoreboard.

The Twins readily admit Detroit's late fade opened the door for them to claim a share of first, but they played well enough to walk through it.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: October 5, 2009 - 7:08 AM

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The Twins have won 16 of their past 20 games, forcing Tuesday's showdown with Detroit to decide the AL Central champion, the winner of which will face the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs. But they needed help from the Tigers, who obliged by blowing a seven-game lead on Sept. 6.

Twins outfielder Denard Span phrased it differently.

"I don't want to say they've choked, but, yeah, they have choked," Span said. "They've choked a little bit, but they have the opportunity to not choke, I guess."

Detroit had a chance to put the Twins away last week but the teams split four games. The Tigers could have whittled their magic number during a three-game weekend series at home against the White Sox, but their offense sputtered in two losses before they beat Chicago 5-3 on Sunday to reach tiebreaker Tuesday.

The Tigers are 11-15 over the past 26 games while the Twins are playing their best baseball of the season.

Now the Tigers head for the Twin Cities down 11-7 in the season series, including 2-7 in the Metrodome.

"I think the pressure is still on those guys,'' Span said. "They've had the lead all second half.''

Detroit will arrive here amid a little controversy. Slugger Miguel Cabrera arrived at Comerica Park on Sunday with abrasions on his face, suggesting he was involved in some sort of altercation. The player and team declined to comment on the matter.

The Twins and Tigers have faced each other seven times since Sept. 17. The Twins took two of three Sept. 18-20 at the Dome before the split at Comerica Park. All the games were fairly competitive, which gives the Twins reason to like their chances.

"That helps,'' outfielder Michael Cuddyer said. "At the same time, they have faced us seven times the last two weeks. It goes both ways. It should make for a lot of fun and should be a good battle."

On Tuesday they'll face American League Rookie of the Year candidate Rick Porcello, who's 14-9 with a 4.04 ERA. The righthander is 1-2 with a 3.09 ERA against the Twins, but 0-2, 6.30 at the Dome.

Many Twins players brought up their memories of last season's 163rd game at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, where White Sox fans dressed in black and the Twins fell 1-0. And they were amazed at Sunday's announced crowd of 51,155 that roared all game while creating a blizzard of spinning retro Homer Hankies.

"Maybe it will look like wintertime in this place,'' Cuddyer said.

Maybe it will be too much for the floundering Tigers.

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