White Sox stay alive

CHICAGO – Alexei Ramirez spread his arms wide, raced around the bases like a little kid and jumped into Paul Konerko’s embrace at home plate.

No wonder they were so happy. The White Sox would play one more day.

Ramirez 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 today for the A.L. Central title.

The Twins will visit the White Sox tonight, 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 Guillen said. “A good feeling.”

When Guillen told Ramirez to relax before batting with the bases loaded, the 27-year-old infielder made a promise.

“I told Ozzie to have confidence in me. I’m going to go out and get these runners home somehow,” he said.

Did he ever. Then again, his days on the Cuban national team taught him about big games.

“My team in Cuba was always in the playoffs and I played in the Olympics and international games. I’ve been in tougher situations, I feel,” he said through a translator.

Washed out earlier this month, Chicago and Detroit waited through a rain delay of more than three hours Monday before starting. Gavin Floyd (17-8) won on three days’ rest, but short rest has been a successful trend for many teams.

Detroit, with nothing really to play for, took a 2-1 lead into the sixth. But former White Sox ace Freddy Garcia, who’d allowed only two hits to that point, had to leave with tightness in his right shoulder with a runner on second and no outs.

Then things got wild.

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.

Jim Thome struck out, but after an intentional walk to Konerko, Seay also walked Ken Griffey Jr. to load the bases.

Ramirez sent the first pitch from Gary Glover, another former White Sox pitcher, into the left-center field bleachers.

Floyd gave up five hits and one earned run in six innings. He struck out eight and walked two while throwing 118 pitches.

Pierzynski added an RBI double during a two-run eighth.

After his early struggles, Garcia rebounded, retiring 11 straight before Griffey singled with two outs in the fourth.

Garcia was 40-21 with Chicago from 2004-06 and won three games in the postseason of 2005, including the clinching Game 4 of the World Series. He is close friends with White Sox manager Guillen and they texted each other prior to the game.