AL Central Drama: Tigers Win, And Now the Twins Must

Kansas City managed to score three runs and knock starter Carl Pavano out of the game in the sixth, while Dusty Hughes has taken the ball for the Royals.

Fernando Rodney was able to shut down the White Sox, and the Tigers pulled out a win they desperately needed. This was Justin Verlander’s 19th win of the season for Detroit.

Now the Tigers, like the rest of us, watch the Twins-Royals game in Minnesota. The Twins currently lead the Royals in the 5th, 7-1.

The White Sox finally found a way to score against Justin Verlander. In the eighth inning, Ramon Castro knocked an RBI double and Brent Lillibridge followed up with a two-RBI single.

Fernando Rodney, who took the ball from Verlander in the eighth, is taking the hill again to start the ninth inning. Stay tuned…

Apparently the Twins looked at the scoreboard, saw that the Tigers were up 4-0, and said to themselves, “Yeah, that sounds good.” In the first inning, Jason Kubel hit a three-run homer, and Delmon Young followed suit two batters later with a blast of his own.

The Twins lead 4-0 in the top of the second. The Tigers lead 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth. The regular season might not end today for these two teams.

The Tigers’ Justin Verlander is turning in exactly the sort of start his team needs today. Through five innings, he’s allowed only two baserunners — a hit and a walk — and is holding the White Sox scoreless.

Magglio Ordonez added a solo dinger in the bottom of the fifth to put the score at 4-0, Detroit.

Gerald Laird, you see…he’s the catcher, and he doesn’t have a lot of speed. That’s why the White Sox were completely unprepared for him to lay down a bunt. Laird managed an infield hit.

The Sox were made to pay for their lack of faith in Laird’s wheels. Later in the inning, Ryan Raburn jacked a two-run home run to put the Tigers up, 3-0.

On the last day of the regular season, the logic gets very simple: if one team wins and the other loses, the winner takes the AL Central and the other goes home. If both win, or both lose, the Twins will find themselves playing a one-game tiebreaker for the second consecutive year.

The Tigers are putting Justin Verlander (3.45 ERA) on the hill against the White Sox at 1:05. Bless You Boys notes that Verlander’s success against the Sox offers mixed signals:

Verlander has been spectacular against the White Sox this season, winning two starts and allowing only one earned run in 18 innings. Over his career, however, they’ve roughed him up, tagging him with a 4-9 record and 4.97 ERA in 16 starts.

And in the Metrodome, Carl Pavano (5.07 ERA) will start for the Twins against the Royals. Twinkie Town’s take:

Moving to the specifics of today’s game, the Twins are running out a starter on just three days rest for the second day in a row. Ron Gardenhire wants to go with the veteran in this situation, and I have to agree with him. Carl Pavano has done a decent job to this point and I’m happy to turn to him today. Should he faulter early, I’m sure Gardy won’t hesitate to go to Brian Duesning.

Given the implications today, live game threads are an essential companion. Check them out at Twinkie Town and Bless You Boys.

The Tigers dropped another one to the Chicago White Sox tonight, and the loss makes tomorrow’s game vs. the White Sox a must-win scenario, as the Twins have continued to apply pressure, winning twice vs. the Royals, and are now tied with the Tigers for AL Central lead with one game to go. SBN’s Bless You Boys has more from the Detroit perspective:

Words fail to recap this game. What can really be said?

Actually, I think the fans at Comerica Park said it quite well as the home team left the field tonight.

The Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins are now tied for first place in the AL Central. It really is now “do or die.” If the Tigers don’t win tomorrow, their season is more than likely over. At best, that would probably force a one-game tiebreaker on Tuesday. But does anyone in Tiger Town really want to count on the Twins losing?

It’s all on Justin Verlander’s right shoulder tomorrow. He’s carried this team all season, so why should his last regular season start be any different.

Closer Joe Nathan struck out two in the ninth inning to pick up his 47th save of the year. Now, the state of Minnesota huddles around its television*. The Tigers host the White Sox at 7:15 p.m, and if they lose, the AL Central is tied heading into tomorrow.

*The state of Minnesota may well be home to more than one television. I’ve never been there.

After surrendering four runs in six innings, Zack Greinke was also pulled.

The Royals’ Mike Jacobs hit a solo home run, but not before the Twins’ Delmon Young added even more RBI to his series total. Following Mauer’s RBI single, Young hit a bases-clearing, three-RBI double.

It bears repeating: this Metrodome crowd is LOUD. If it were always so noisy in that place, I doubt the Twins would ever want to leave.

It’s not terribly surprising to see Royals ace Zack Greinke keep the Twins hitless through three innings, but Twins starter Nick Blackburn is looking even better. Blackburn has thrown four scoreless innings without allowing a single baserunner. In fact, Joe Mauer accounts for the only baserunner of the game so far, as he worked a walk from Greinke.

Twinkie Town is game-threading this business. Check it out.

Twinkie Town points out a historical curiosity:

No team in baseball history has come from three games back with four games to play. The Minnesota Twins like those odds.

Two games before the end of the season, we find ourselves with not one, but two down-to-the-wire playoff races that could make history. Here’s the difference: whether the Rockies and Dodgers win or lose, they’re both playing playoff baseball. Either the Twins or the Tigers, though, will miss the postseason. These next two games are for all the marbles. Actually I guess it’s for all the baseballs, since they’re playing baseball.

Delmon Young’s grand slam in the first inning helped catapult the Twins to a 10-0 lead. The Royals responded with seven unanswered runs but ultimately couldn’t beat a team that, realistically speaking, had to win.

With this win, and the Tigers’ loss, the Twins trail by one game with two left to play. Tomorrow figures to be more challenging, as Zack Greinke (2.06 ERA) will take the ball for the Royals. The Twins start Nick Blackburn (4.08 ERA).

Meanwhile, the Tigers will resume their series with the White Sox in Detroit. Alfredo Figaro (5.74 ERA) will start for the Tigers against Freddy Garcia (4.78 ERA).

So, there are two teams, each with two games left in the season, and two blogs watching the closest race of the season on pins and needles (Twinkie Town and Bless You Boys). One of the things about competition is that one team that wins is happy and the team that loses is sad. Check back with these blogs to watch the agony and ecstasy as it unfolds.

Meanwhile, Jake Peavy pitched eight innings of shutout baseball, giving up only two hits and two walks. In his 12-inning-old career with the White Sox so far, Peavy is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA.

The Twins are up on the Royals, 10-0, which means that the Tigers’ lead may very well shrink to one game before tomorrow’s action.

After splitting their four-game series, the Tigers and Twins each have three games left to play in the season. Detroit has a two-game lead, meaning that if they can win two of their last three versus the White Sox, and/or if Minnesota drops two of three against the Royals, the Tigers clinch the division title.

Edwin Jackson (3.36 ERA) takes the hill for the Tigers at 7:05 p.m. Friday, while the White Sox trot out Jake Peavy (2.25 ERA). Check out Bless You Boys’ game thread for further fun and games.

Minnesota gave a couple runs back in the 8th, but held on to win easily, 8-3. They’re now right where they started this four game series: two back of the Tigers in the AL Central race.

But with only three games left in the season, the Twins still need a minor miracle to win the division.

For more coverage and analysis of this final week, check out Twinkie Town and Bless You Boys.

Well this is really getting awesome in the final innings.

After the warnings were issued in the bottom of the 8th, Bonderman hit Delmon Young in the leg with the first pitch in the top of the 9th. Young rolled around in pain for a few seconds before getting up and proceeding to point and yell … at his own dugout. He had to be restrained by Ron Gardenhire, who escorting him to first. I really have no idea what Young was doing. Perhaps yelling at the pitchers for causing all of this? Or maybe angry that his teammates didn't rush the field, ready to brawl? Who knows. Young hasn't always been the most mentally stable athlete to start with.

Bonderman was immediately tossed from the game. Remember: the Tigers still have to come to the plate in the bottom of the inning.

Remember earlier when I said things were getting “testy.” Well, yeah, that is sort of coming to a head now.

First, the homeplate ump issued warnings to both sides after Twins pitcher Mijares threw behind Tigers batter Adam Everett. This was followed by a meeting at the mound with the pitching coach, during which Jim Leyland decided it was a good time to come on out onto the field and get ejected. He appeared to be arguing about the “sickle of death” call from the previous inning.

He’s now back in the clubhouse, presumably having a cigarette and a glass of milk.

The Twins look like they’ll be playing at least one more game of meaningful baseball. They now have a seven run lead in the bottom of the 8th after an Orlando Cabrera double plated three and a Joe Mauer single knocked in a fourth run in the top half of the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, with Ramon Santiago on first base and one out, Miguel Cabrera hit a pop fly down the right field line in foul territory. After a long run, Denard Span made the catch and Santiago tagged up and made it to second. The Twins appealed, claiming he left too early. The umps agreed -- double play, inning over.

Jim Leyland ran out to argue briefly. It appears as if he had a solid case:

That white thing in Span's glove is the baseball. And that black thing on the base is Santiago's foot. So yeah, Tigers were screwed out of an out on that one. Something MLB Network's Matt Vasgersian called the "sickle of death."

We have our first extra base hit of the game! How exciting! It was a double! From Denard Span!

Note: no runs were actually scored in the making of this extra base hit. The score remains 4-1, Twins, after a plethora of Tigers pitchers worked their way out of a bases-loaded jam.

Twins starter Scott Baker is out after five strong innings, in which he allowed just one run while scattering five hits. He gives way to Jon Rauch.

For Baker, it’s the first time he’s been able to shut down the Tigers this year. In three previous starts against them, he’d allowed 15 earned runs over 15 innings with a .358 AVG against.

The Twins lead 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth.

Detroit loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a hit-by-pitch, an error and a walk, but were unable to drive anyone home.

Things did get a touch testy, though. Thames was hit with a fastball way up and in, which he didn’t seem overly thrilled about. He then slid hard into Orlando Cabrera at second to break up a double play, which Cabrera wasn’t thrilled about either. It appeared as if there was some jawing between Orlando and the Detroit dugout.

In other words: there’s totally gonna be a brawl today. FIGHT!

Thanks to an error, a single, a sac bunt and then a ground out to the right side from Denard Span, the Twins have themselves another run. That’s now four runs and seven hits -- all singles -- for the Twins.

In the middle of the 4th, it’s now Twins 4, Tigers 1.

A Nick Punto single, Denard Span hit-by-pitch and sac fly from Orlando Hudson put runners on second and third for Joe Mauer, who delivered with an RBI single.

That was followed up with another RBI single, this one from Cuddyer, scoring Span.

It didn’t end there: Kubel then drive home Mauer with a deep sac fly to center.

It could’ve been worse for the Tigers, however. Cuddyer made the ultimate base-running no-no, getting thrown out at third with two outs after Delmon Young singled to right.

So, the Twins manufacture three runs thanks to a handful of singles and two sac flies. They lead 3-1 in the middle of the third.

Left fielder Delmon Young badly misplayed a single off the bat of Marcus Thames, allowing Thames to advance to second. He was moved to third on a ground out and then driven home with a bloop single to center field by Gerald Laird.

It’s now 1-0, Tigers, after two innings.

Also worth noting: MLB Network analyst Joe Magrane described Brandon Inge’s “foundation” while hitting thusly: “it’s like trying to shoot a bow and arrow out of a canoe with accuracy.” I have no doubt Joe Magrane has attempted this before.

Nate Robinson needed just eight pitches to set down the Twins in the top of the 1st. Orlando Cabrera’s single was the only blemish. Joe Mauer’s struggles continue — he flew out, and is now 2-13 in the series.

The Tigers put runners on first and third against Scott Baker, but were unable to plate any runs.

We’re tied at 0-0 after one.

It’s the fourth and final game of the Minnesota-Detroit series today at 1:05 p.m., and for the Twins, it could be the last meaningful game they play in 2009. With a three-game lead in the AL Central and their magic number at two, a win today by the Tigers and they would clinch the division, ending any hopes the Twins have of postseason play. If Minnesota were to stave of elimination, they would still have to make up two games over the weekend, a formidable task if there ever was one. But first, the Twins need a win today, and Twinkie Town has hope.

Fortunately for the Twins, our most consistent pitcher is on the mound this afternoon. For the most part, Baker’s 2009 numbers are a repeat of his solid 2008 season. K/9: 7.48 (2009) to 7.36 (2008). BB/9: 2.05 to 2.19. BABIP: .288 to .290. Opponent’s batting average: .251 to .249. GB/FB: 0.73 to 0.72. Etc. The only real difference in Baker’s peripherals is a higher HR/FB rate (10.1% to 8.5% – suggesting a regression to mean) and a large drop in LOB% (69.4% to 78.7%), both of which drive a higher FIP (4.02 to 3.79) and much higher ERA (4.48 to 3.45).

I’ve become pretty jinx-conscious in writing these GameThread posts, so I hesitate to say exactly what could happen this afternoon at Comerica Park if the Tigers win. But it would be pretty cool. And something that hasn’t taken place in 22 years. Tiger Town feels ready for it.

After a fast start, the Twins needed a hot finish to beat the Tigers. It didn't happen. The Tigers earned a 7-2 win over the Twins Wednesday night to go up three games in the American League Central race.

Magglio Ordonez had three runs batted in for the Tigers. Those came in the fifth inning when he doubled with the bases loaded. Brandon Inge and Ramon Santiago also had two RBIs a piece in the win.

The Twins had the baserunners, but couldn’t put them across. The team stranded a combined 19 baserunners, but had just two runs to show for it — both of which came in the first.

One game is left between the two teams. They’ll square off again Thursday at 1 p.m. ET, which you can watch on MLB Network.

For more commentary and analysis of the series, check out SB Nation's Twinkie Town and/or Bless You Boys

The Twins have been waiting to come back, but it’s going to have to be in the last couple of innings — if it’s even going to happen.

Joe Mauer walked, but that’s all the Twins could muster in the top of the seventh. The Tigers didn’t do much better, as Miguel Cabrera (single) was the team’s only baserunner. The Tigers still lead, 7-2.

The Tigers were prepping to put the nail in the coffin, but not just yet.

Clete Thomas flied out with the bases loaded to end the sixth inning. The Tigers are still up, 7-2, heading into the seventh.

Magglio Ordonez hit a bases loaded double with two outs in the fifth inning to extend the Tigers’ lead to 7-2.

Jesse Crain replaced Carl Pavano after the double. Pavano gave up seven runs, seven hits, two walks and struck out four in 4.2 innings of work.

Zach Miner has now replaced Tigers starter Eddie Bonine to start the sixth inning. Bonine gave up seven hits and two runs in his five innings of work.

So much for Pavano’s brilliance. (We were just joking about that, by the way. Tongue in cheek. Promise.)

The Tigers came back with a big four-run second inning to take the lead, 4-2. Brandon Inge hit a bases loaded two-run double to tie things, then Ramon Santiago brought in two more on a single to give the Tigers their first lead of the game.

If things continue at this pace, the Tigers will win 18-9. Could it happen? Maybe!

Carl Pavano for Cy Young. OK, maybe that’s a little premature.

Pavano kept the momentum on the Twins’ side by inducing a fly out, pop out and a strikeout of Clete Thomas to finish off the first inning.

A fast start is a always a good start.

The Twins kicked off Wednesday night’s game quick with a four-hit, two-run inning to jump all over the Tigers. Jason Kubel and Delmon Young had RBI singles to give the Twins the 2-0 lead after the top of the first. This is exactly what the Twins need. Now, the resurrected ghost of Carl Pavano just needs to hold up. What could go wrong?