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MLB


Minnesota Twins (88-74) At Chicago White Sox (88-74), 7:35 P.m.

(Sports Network) - The Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox will meet in a one-game tiebreaker this evening at U.S. Cellular Field to determine the American League Central title.

Chicago, which was swept in a three-game set by the Twins last week, caught a break when it won the coin toss, allowing the game to be played in the Windy City, where Minnesota lost seven of its nine games played this season.

This is the AL's fourth tiebreaker contest and the first since Seattle beat the California Angels for the AL West title 1995. Last season, Colorado beat San Diego 9-8 in 13 innings in an NL wild-card tiebreaker game.

Of course, the winner of tonight's contest will play the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS starting on Thursday at Tropicana Field.

Chicago made this game necessary on Monday, as Alexei Ramirez slugged a grand slam to break a tie in the sixth inning, helping the White Sox past Detroit, 8-2.

The extra tilt was necessary after the clubs' September 13 game was postponed due to rain. As a result, the White Sox came into action trailing the AL Central-leading Twins by a half-game.

Jermaine Dye knocked in a pair while A.J. Pierzynski collected two hits and drove in a run for the White Sox (88-74), who are trying to get back into the postseason for the first time since winning the World Series in 2005.

Chicago has now won back-to-back games after a five-game slide.

Gavin Floyd (17-8) pitched admirably on three days' rest. He allowed five hits and two runs -- one earned -- over six innings, fanning eight with a pair of walks to earn his first win since September 16.

Chicago will pin its hopes on 23-year-old left-hander John Danks, who is 11-9 with a 3.47 ERA. Danks, though, has lost four of his last five decisions and was hammered by Cleveland in his last start on Friday, as he allowed seven runs and seven hits in four innings.

Danks, who will also be pitching on short rest, has also struggled this season against the Twins, going 1-2 with a 7.45 ERA. He is 2-3 lifetime against the with a 6.88 ERA in seven starts.

Minnesota, meanwhile, goes with 26-year-old righty Nick Blackburn, who beat the White Sox the last time he took the hill. Last Wednesday at the Metrodome Blackburn held Chicago to a pair of runs and eight hits in five innings, upping his record to 11-10, while lowering his ERA to 4.14.

Blackburn has faced the White Sox six times (five starts) and is 2-2 in those contests with a 5.28 ERA.

Like the White Sox, the Twins struggled the final weekend, losing two of three to the Kansas City Royals. A win tonight, though, would give the Twins their fifth AL Central title in the last seven years.

Given the extra game, Twins first baseman Justin Morneau has a chance to win the AL's RBI title, as well. Morneau needs one RBI this evening to match Josh Hamilton of Texas for the AL RBI lead with 130.

Joe Mauer should be able to hold onto his AL batting crown. The catcher, whose .330 average is four points better than Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia, would need to go 0-for-7 to lose what would be his second AL batting title in three seasons.

Minnesota won the season series with the White Sox, 10-8.

Minnesota Twins

Scoreboard

Minnesota at New Orleans

TEAM
1
2
3
4
FINAL
10
10
0
10
30
10
0
7
10
27

Quarter 1
11:09Remaining
New Orleans Touchdown - 17-yard pass from Drew Brees to Devery Henderson. (Martin Gramatica extra point is good).
8 plays, 47 yards. Time of Drive: 3:51 .
2:58Remaining
New Orleans Field Goal - 35-yarder by Martin Gramatica.
8 plays, 34 yards. Time of Drive: 3:22 .
0:53Remaining
Minnesota Field Goal - 53-yarder by Ryan Longwell.
4 plays, 4 yards. Time of Drive: 2:05 .
Quarter 2
13:19Remaining
Minnesota Touchdown - 4-yard pass from Chester Taylor to Visanthe Shiancoe. (Ryan Longwell extra point is good).
3 plays, 5 yards. Time of Drive: 1:32 .
0:04Remaining
Minnesota Field Goal - 33-yarder by Ryan Longwell.
15 plays, 72 yards. Time of Drive: 3:20 .
Quarter 3
1:46Remaining
New Orleans Touchdown - 71-yard punt return by Reggie Bush. (Martin Gramatica extra point is good).
Quarter 4
13:20Remaining
New Orleans Field Goal - 53-yarder by Martin Gramatica.
6 plays, 14 yards. Time of Drive: 1:40 .
11:36Remaining
New Orleans Touchdown - 64-yard punt return by Reggie Bush. (Martin Gramatica extra point is good).
7:10Remaining
Minnesota Touchdown - 33-yard pass from Gus Frerotte to Bernard Berrian. (Ryan Longwell extra point is good).
7 plays, 75 yards. Time of Drive: 4:26 .
0:13Remaining
Minnesota Field Goal - 30-yarder by Ryan Longwell.
6 plays, 51 yards. Time of Drive: 1:45 .

GAME DETAILS
Attendance
70015
Game Length
3:26
Referee
Ed Hochuli
Umpire
Chad Brown
Head Linesman
Mark Hittner
Line Judge
Tim Pedraza
Side Judge
Mike Weatherford
Back Judge
Bill Schmitz
Field Judge
Tom Sifferman

GAME STATISTICS
Minnesota
New Orleans
Total First Downs
16
17
   First Downs By Rushing
2
3
   First Downs By Passing
12
14
   First Downs By Penalty
2
0
Third Downs
5/15-33%
7/15-47%
Fourth Downs
0/0-0%
1/1-100%
Total Net Yards
270
375
   Total Offensive Plays
64
69
   Average Gain Per Offensive Play
4.2
5.4
Net Yards Rushing
44
55
   Total Rushing Plays
26
22
   Average Gain Per Rushing Play
1.7
2.5
Net Yards Passing
226
320
Total Times Thrown
1
1
Yards Lost Attempting To Pass
0
10
Gross Yards Passing
226
330
   Pass Attempts
37
46
   Pass Completions
20
26
   Pass Intercepted
0
2
   Average Gain Per Pass Play
5.9
6.8
Times Punted
7
2
   Average Punting Yards
43.3
43.0
   Net Punting Average
15.3
43.0
Total Return Yardage NotIncKickoffs
1
176
   Punt Returns
0
5
   Punt Return Yards
0
176
Kickoff Returns
5
7
   Kickoff Return Yards
117
178
Interception Returns
2
0
   Interception Return Yards
1
0
Penalties Committed
7
11
   Penalty Yards
60
102
Number Of Times Fumbled
1
5
   Fumbles Lost
0
2
Total Touchdowns
3
3
   Rushing Touchdowns
0
0
   Passing Touchdowns
2
1
Extra Points
3/3
3/3
Field Goals
3/3
2/4
Safties
0
0
Two-Point Conversions
0/0
0/0
Total Time Of Possession
27:51
32:09
Final Score
30
27

PASSING
ATT
CP
YDS
TK/YD
TD
LG
INT
Minnesota
37
20
226
1/0
2
36
0
GusFrerotte
36
19
222
1/0
1
36
0
ChesterTaylor
1
1
4
0/0
1
4
0
New Orleans
46
26
330
1/10
1
52
2
DrewBrees
46
26
330
1/10
1
52
2

RUSHING
NO.
YDS
AVG
LG
TD
Minnesota
26
44
1.7
7
0
AdrianPeterson
21
32
1.5
7
0
ChesterTaylor
3
8
2.7
5
0
GusFrerotte
2
4
2.0
5
0
New Orleans
22
55
2.5
10
0
ReggieBush
12
29
2.4
10
0
DeuceMcAllister
6
13
2.2
6
0
DeveryHenderson
1
7
7.0
7
0
DrewBrees
3
6
2.0
6
0

PASS RECEIVING
NO.
YDS
AVG
LG
TD
Minnesota
20
226
11.3
36
2
BobbyWade
8
64
8.0
17
0
BernardBerrian
6
110
18.3
36
1
VisantheShiancoe
2
16
8.0
12
1
ChesterTaylor
2
14
7.0
9
0
AundraeAllison
1
13
13.0
13
0
AdrianPeterson
1
9
9.0
9
0
New Orleans
26
330
12.7
52
1
ReggieBush
7
64
9.1
21
0
LanceMoore
5
31
6.2
12
0
DeveryHenderson
4
104
26.0
52
1
BillyMiller
4
61
15.3
41
0
MarkCampbell
3
39
13.0
22
0
RobertMeachem
2
31
15.5
21
0
AaronStecker
1
0
0.0
0
0

INTERCEPTIONS
NO.
YDS
LG
TD
Minnesota
2
1
1
0
BenLeber
1
1
1
0
TyrellJohnson
1
0
0
0

PUNTING
NO.
YDS
AVG.
TB
IN20
LG
Minnesota
7
303
43.3
1
3
52
ChrisKluwe
7
303
43.3
1
3
52
New Orleans
2
86
43.0
0
0
45
SteveWeatherford
2
86
43.0
0
0
45

PUNT RETURNS
NO.
FC
YDS
LG
TD
Minnesota
0
2
0
0
0
CharlesGordon
0
2
0
0
0
New Orleans
6
1
176
71
2
ReggieBush
5
0
176
71
2
TOUCHBACK
1
0
0
0
0
LanceMoore
0
1
0
0
0

KICK OFF RETURNS
NO.
FC
YDS
LG
TD
Minnesota
5
0
117
27
0
MauriceHicks
4
0
93
27
0
ChesterTaylor
1
0
24
24
0
New Orleans
7
0
178
56
0
PierreThomas
5
0
168
56
0
AaronStecker
2
0
10
10
0

FUMBLES
NO.
OWN-REC
YDS
TD
FORCED
OPP-REC
YDS
TD
Minnesota
1
1
2
0
3
2
16
0
GusFrerotte
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
ChadGreenway
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
CedricGriffin
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
RyanCook
0
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
TyrellJohnson
0
0
0
0
0
1
7
0
AntoineWinfield
0
0
0
0
1
1
9
0
New Orleans
5
3
-17
0
1
0
0
0
DrewBrees
3
2
-17
0
0
0
0
0
ReggieBush
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
BrianYoung
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
BillyMiller
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0

DEFENSE
TKL
AST
COM
SAC
YDS
IN
PD
FF
FR
Minnesota
49
51
1
10
2
9
3
2
CedricGriffin
9
0
9
0
0
0
0
1
0
AntoineWinfield
8
0
8
1
10
0
1
1
1
BenLeber
6
1
7
0
0
1
3
0
0
ChadGreenway
5
0
5
0
0
0
0
1
0
CharlesGordon
4
0
4
0
0
0
1
0
0
PatWilliams
4
0
4
0
0
0
1
0
0
KevinWilliams
3
0
3
0
0
0
1
0
0
TyrellJohnson
3
0
3
0
0
1
1
0
1
DarrenSharper
3
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
DavidHerron
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
JaredAllen
1
1
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
RayEdwards
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
EricFrampton
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
HusainAbdullah
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
ErinHenderson
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
RobertFerguson
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
CullenLoeffler
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
RyanCook
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
New Orleans
45
54
1
0
0
3
1
0
JonathanVilma
7
3
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
KevinKaesviharn
6
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
MikeMcKenzie
6
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
BrianYoung
5
1
6
1
0
0
0
1
0
CharlesGrant
4
2
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
ScottShanle
4
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
TracyPorter
3
0
3
0
0
0
2
0
0
RomanHarper
3
2
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
ScottFujita
2
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
KendrickClancy
2
0
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
RandallGay
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
WillSmith
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Jo-LonnDunbar
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
TroyEvans
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
AaronStecker
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
CarlNicks
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
LanceMoore
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
DeveryHenderson
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
BillyMiller
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
DrewBrees
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

FIELD GOALS
KICKS
YARDS
Minnesota
3/3
RyanLongwell
Made
53
RyanLongwell
Made
33
RyanLongwell
Made
30
New Orleans
2/4
MartinGramatica
Missed
46
MartinGramatica
Made
35
MartinGramatica
Made
53
MartinGramatica
Missed
46

EXTRA POINTS
COMP/ATT
Minnesota
3/3
RyanLongwell
3/3
New Orleans
3/3
MartinGramatica
3/3

TWO-POINT CONVERSIONS
TOTAL
RUSH
PASS


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