And for the third consecutive year, there will be a one-game playoff to decide a spot for the MLB postseason. This year’s playoff matchup features the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins. Both teams finished with a record of 86-76 and will live to play a 163rd game. The game will be played at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Tuesday at 5:07 PM EST. Rick Porcello will be the starting pitcher for the Tigers while Scott Baker will step up to the mound for the Twins.
The Tigers had lost their last three games before finally earning a win behind a solid performance by Justin Verlander. Verlander struck out five in 7.2 innings as he picked up his 19th victory of the season. Ryan Raburn homered twice while Magglio Ordonez added a long ball of his own to lift Detroit to victory; it was Ordonez’s first home run since August 16.
Unfortunately, for the Tigers, they weren’t able to clinch their first division title since 1987. The Minnesota Twins jumped out to a 7-0 lead after just three innings and held on to win by a final score of 13 to 4. Carl Pavano improved to 14-12 on the season despite pitching on just three days rest. Jason Kubel hit a pair of three-run home runs in the first three innings while Delmon Young added two solo home runs of his own to lift Minnesota to victory; Michael Cuddyer also went deep for the Twins, who won 16 of their last 20 games to force the one-game playoff.
It will be the second consecutive season in which the Minnesota Twins will play in a one-game playoff for the AL Central title; no other team in MLB history has accomplished such a feat. In last year’s game against the Chicago White Sox, Jim Thome’s solo home run proved to be the game-winner as Chicago edged Minnesota by a score of 1 to 0.
The winner of the Minnesota/Detroit game on Tuesday will play the New York Yankees in the ALDS.
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