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The Detroit Tigers did their part Sunday, then found cozy spots in their clubhouse, cafeteria or manager's office to root for Kansas City to beat Minnesota.
No such luck.
Justin Verlander pitched into the eighth inning in the Tigers' 5-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox, but the Twins routed the Royals to force a tiebreaker for the AL Central title Tuesday at the Metrodome.
"It's going to be fun," Detroit's Curtis Granderson said. "I'm sure Minnesota is going to be rocking."
Detroit, hoping to win its first division title since 1987, will start 20-year-old rookie Rick Porcello against Scott Baker.
"He's been young all year and he pitched awful good against Minnesota the other day," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I know one thing for a fact -- he will not be scared. He'll be excited."
The slumping Tigers got the pitching performance and offense they needed in the final scheduled game of the season to avoid ending the year with a thud.
Verlander was solid on the mound, Ryan Raburn was spectacular at the plate with two homers and a rejuvenated Magglio Ordonez continued his late-season tear with a solo shot as part of a 4-for-4 day.
"I'm awful proud of our team," Leyland said. "Have we been perfect? No. Do you wish you would've had it wrapped right now? Do you think you should've? Yes.
After getting a game-ending double play, the Tigers seemed to know there was still work to do because they
"We got one more game and, hopefully, a whole lot more," Raburn said.
Meanwhile, more than 51,000 fans and dozens of players from Metrodome lore turned out on Sunday to say goodbye to the big, dingy building after 28 weird, wacky and sometimes wonderful baseball seasons.
Hang on to those Homer Hankies: The Metrodome showed this weekend that it still has some of that old magic left and isn't ready to let the Minnesota Twins go just yet.
Jason Kubel got those familiar white towels waving with a pair of three-run homers and Minnesota beat Kansas City 13-4.
"The place doesn't want to go away quietly yet," Kubel said.
The Twins and Tigers will meet at 3 p.m. MDT Tuesday (TBS) with the division title and a postseason date with the New York Yankees going to the winner.
"When we need a win, where do we go?" former first baseman Kent Hrbek asked the fans during a postgame ceremony. "We go to the Dome."
They need one more.
"It's been fun to watch," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Just a group of guys that were on a mission."
Going 16-4 down the stretch, the Twins have pushed Detroit to a one-game playoff for the AL Central title.
