White Sox Force AL Tiebreaker
White Sox 8, Tigers 2
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Tuesday, September 30, 2008
CHICAGO, Sept. 29 -- Alexei Ramírez spread his arms wide and raced around the bases like a little kid. The White Sox would play one more day.
Ramírez set a rookie record with his fourth grand slam of the season, and Chicago beat Detroit, 8-2, in a rainout makeup Monday, forcing a one-game tiebreaker against Minnesota for the AL Central title.
The Twins will visit the White Sox on Tuesday night, with John Danks starting for Chicago on three days' rest against Nick Blackburn. The division champ begins the playoffs at Tampa Bay on Thursday.
"Tomorrow, 162 games mean nothing. It's only about one game and that's great," White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillén said. "A good feeling."
When Guillén told Ramírez to relax before batting with the bases loaded, the 27-year-old infielder made a promise.
"I told Ozzie to have confidence in me," he said. "I'm going to go out and get these runners home somehow."
Washed out earlier this month, Chicago and Detroit waited through a rain delay of more than three hours before starting. Gavin Floyd (17-8) won on three days' rest -- short rest has been a successful trend for many teams in the stretch.
The loss left the Tigers in last place, capping a season they began with hopes of reaching the World Series.
Detroit, with nothing really to play for, took a 2-1 lead into the sixth. But former White Sox ace Freddy García, who had allowed only two hits to that point, had to leave with tightness in his right shoulder with a runner on second and no outs.
And then things got wild.
Tigers Manager Jim Leyland summoned Armando Galarraga (13-7) -- the team's best starter this season -- and he threw two wild pitches that allowed the tying run to score.
After Jermaine Dye walked, Bobby Seay relieved and threw Detroit's third wild pitch of the inning.
