Twins Win Again, Force One-Game Playoff with Tigers

NFL News - October 5th, 2009 - Written by John

For the first time in MLB history, there will be a one-game playoff for the final postseason spot for the second straight year. Both the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers won their final game of the year Sunday, finishing tied in the standings and needing to go Minnesota to sort it out.

Last year, the Twins lost at Chicago, 1-0.

To get there, Minnesota needed to win 16 of their final 20 games and Detroit had to slip up. They faced each other last week and split the series, keeping Detroit's division lead at two. But the Twins fell back a game on the next day and faced a three-game deficit with four games remaining. They somehow were able to rough up the Royals in the last regular-season series, beating probable Cy Young candidate Zack Grienke on Saturday. Detroit set up the elimination game, struggling against the White Sox and losing four of their last ten.

"Everybody’s written us off and rightfully so," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire admitted to reporters. "We looked pretty ugly. But we didn’t write ourselves off and that’s all that matters."

Another big reason for the failure to separate was because of Detroit's struggles in the Central itself. The Tigers were only 39-33 against it's division, while the Twins were a full six games better. Of all the teams that qualified for the playoffs, only the Angels had fewer wins against it's division, and that's because the AL West is the only division with four teams instead of five.

“It’s strange,” New York Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez said. “That’s what’s great about baseball. Play 162 and you’re going to need one more game. That’s pretty awesome.”

The Twins will throw out Scott Baker to the mound after being their ace all year. He will be matched up against 20-year old Rick Porcello who is 14-9 this year. Baker has a career ERA of over four against Detroit and has only struck out 53 batters in 95 innings. He recently beat Detroit on October 1st, throwing only five innings, surrendering but one run on five hits.

In Porcello's most recent game against Minnesota, however, he allowed only one run in 6 1/3 and got a no-decision.

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