Twins sizzle, Tigers fizzle

MINNEAPOLIS – The Metrodome erupted in a jet-like roar as Carlos Gomez zoomed home with the winning run to finish off an American League Central race – and a thrilling tiebreaker – that didn’t want to end.

Minnesota wouldn’t quit, while the Detroit Tigers finished their historic fade. There was little time for the Twins to celebrate, because the New York Yankees were waiting.

Alexi Casilla singled home the winning run with one out in the 12th inning and the Twins rallied for a 6-5 victory Tuesday night, completing a colossal collapse for the Tigers.

“This is the most unbelievable game I’ve ever played or seen,” Twins shortstop Orlando Cabrera said.

How was that for bonus baseball?

As Gomez scored from second – well ahead of a late throw from right field – Homer Hankies spiraled. The Twins celebrated and scrambled: They had 21 hours to get ready for Game 1 of the A.L. playoffs at Yankee Stadium against New York ace CC Sabathia. He’ll face rookie Brian Duensing.

The Tigers will head home instead. They became the first team in history to blow a three-game lead with four games left.

“I guess it’s fitting to say there was a loser in this game because we lost the game, but it’s hard for me to believe there was a loser in this game,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. “Both teams played their hearts out. You can’t ask for anything more than that.”

The Twins overcame a seven-game gap in the final month, went 17-4 to pull even on the final weekend and won their fifth division title in eight years.

“We just feel like we have nothing to lose, man,” outfielder Denard Span said.

Both teams had chance after chance to end it earlier, and each club scored in the 10th. Casilla was thrown out at the plate to end that inning by left fielder Ryan Raburn after tagging up.

The Tigers thought they’d taken the lead in the 12th. But with the bases loaded, plate umpire Randy Marsh ruled that Brandon Inge was not hit by a pitch by Bobby Keppel. The replay appeared to show the pitch grazing Inge’s billowing uniform.

“I did not have the ball hitting him,” Marsh said. “We looked at replays, too, and the replays we’ve looked at, to be honest with you, were inconclusive.”

“No matter what we did, it seems like it wasn’t meant to be,” Inge said. “This is the best game, by far, that I’ve ever played in no matter the outcome.”

It was the first A.L. tiebreaker to go to extra innings, making up for Minnesota’s disappointment last year when it lost 1-0 in Chicago to the White Sox in an A.L. Central tiebreaker. Had the Twins lost, it would’ve been the final baseball game at the Metrodome. Instead, the Twins get the Yankees – New York was 7-0 against Minnesota this season.

“We’re not afraid. I can guarantee you that,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

“We’re not going to have to face questions like ‘Can you beat them?’ like we’ve had to answer during the course of the year,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “Once the playoffs start, though, it’s a new series and we know the importance of each game. You can pretty much throw everything else out the window.”

A day after Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers at the Dome – “Monday Night Football” is what delayed this tiebreaker for a day – the Twins pulled off a Tuesday Night Frenzy.

Tigers reliever Fernando Rodney (2-5) worked his longest appearance of the season, getting the last two outs of the ninth. But he didn’t have enough to get out of the 12th. The Twins’ comeback from a seven-game gap with 20 to play was complete.

“One of the best games I’ll ever play in,” summed up Twins catcher Joe Mauer, who heard thunderous “M-V-P!” chants from the largest regular-season baseball crowd – 54,088 – in Metrodome history.