GDT 10/1/09 - DET (85-73) VS MIN (82-76) - 1:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Maybe Jim Leyland isn't too old to take tips. A line from Hall of Famer Sparky Anderson during the 1984 Tigers' reunion Monday stuck with him as his club stands one win away from clinching the American League Central.

"He said, 'Don't talk about seven games left or six games left. Talk about one game left,'" Leyland recalled from their conversation. "And I agree with that. Tomorrow's like it's the only game in the season. It's not, obviously, but I think that's what you have to zero in on. I think that's the approach you have to take. I thought that was a great point by Sparky."

If the Tigers can take Thursday's series finale from the Twins, it will be one big game, one that will be broadcast on MLB Network and MLB.TV beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

With Wednesday's 7-2 Tigers win before an energetic crowd at Comerica Park, their magic number is down to two. A win Thursday will finally park the roller coaster that has been the AL Central race for the Tigers.

The seven-game lead they held on Labor Day, the one-game ledge on which they teetered Tuesday afternoon, poised to potentially fall if they were swept in the doubleheader, the scoreboard-watching over the past two months, all would be in the past. And a city and region that has used the Tigers' success and struggles alike to forget about its own troubles will be able to rejoice.

If the Tigers lose, they can still clinch over the weekend with any combination of two wins over the White Sox or two Twins losses to the Royals. But with the Twins' fate in their hands, they'd much rather finish them now than go through any more suspense.

It's an opportunity, not a victory lap. Those Tigers who were around in 2006, when they couldn't get a win in the final weekend against the last-place Royals and couldn't hang on to the division title, know better.

"I've been around on this team, especially for so long, to know better," Brandon Inge said. "The second you start calculating stuff, when you should just be getting mentally prepared and taking that straight to the field, that's when it starts to snowball and you start getting panicky.

"I'm very happy right now, looking at the series so far. We've got a good feel going. But if we don't come back and have the same intensity and have the same feel, it's all for nothing."

OK, maybe not for nothing. But he knows the thoughts that creep in.

"If we come out and lose, they leave here with a lot of [energy]," Inge said. "We leave going, 'Ah, we could've had them.' It's just the way the mind works."

The Twins know that mindset. They know their season, their incredible comeback, comes down to Thursday.

"I'm not a great math guy," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said, "but tomorrow is a must-win. [I] guarantee our guys will come out to play. They have all year. We've tried. That's one thing that hasn't gone away is them busting their tails. It hasn't been pretty all year, and we've had some stretches where it doesn't look good. But the attitude and getting after the game hasn't stopped this year."

They'll be trying to get to a starting pitcher who might well have helped save the Tigers' season a week and a half ago with his win at the Metrodome. The Twins beat Rick Porcello and Justin Verlander in the first two games of the weekend series to draw within two games, leaving Nate Robertson to try to avoid a sweep in his first start in nine days.

Robertson, his slider biting like his out pitch of old, struck out six Twins over five innings and helped salvage a win. Whether it salvaged his season came into question when the White Sox beat him up for two big homers and four earned runs over 3 1/3 innings.

However, it's the same Robertson who was a big part of the Tigers' playoff run in 2006. A win Thursday would make him a huge part of 2009.

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Pitching matchup


DET: LHP Nate Robertson (2-2, 5.56 ERA)
Which Robertson will show up in his final start of the regular season? Is it the veteran left-hander who used a biting slider and solid fastball to hold the Twins to two runs on five hits over five innings at the Metrodome two starts ago? Or is it the one with a flat slider and inconsistent command who allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits in 3 1/3 innings last time out on Saturday at Chicago before the Tigers came back? How well Robertson commands his arsenal in the series finale could determine whether the AL Central remains a race into the season's final weekend.


MIN: RHP Scott Baker (14-9, 4.48 ERA)
Thanks to quite a bit of offensive support, Baker was able to pick up win No. 14 of the season in his last start at Kansas City. Baker allowed four runs over 6 1/3 innings as the Twins delivered a total of 11 runs in the blowout victory. The right-hander settled down for the middle of his outing, retiring a string of 13 consecutive batters after giving up back-to-back solo homers to start the second inning. He's 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in three starts vs. Detroit this season.

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Tidbits

... Magglio Ordonez is 16-for-36 (.444) with three doubles, a triple and two home runs lifetime against Baker, including 4-for-8 this year. He's also 13-for-29 with three homers and seven RBIs for an eight-game hit streak.
... Ramon Santiago is 11-for-25 (.440) with five RBIs over his last seven games.
... Armando Galarraga threw in the bullpen in the ninth inning Wednesday night, and could be available in relief as soon as Thursday. He hasn't pitched since Sept. 17.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Friday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 13-8, 3.36 ERA) vs. White Sox (Jake Peavy, 8-6, 3.75 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Tigers (Alfredo Figaro, 2-1, 5.74 ERA) vs. White Sox (Freddy Garcia, 2-4, 4.78 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Tigers (Justin Verlander, 18-9, 3.45 ERA) vs. White Sox (John Danks, 13-10, 3.69 ERA), 1:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

TWINS

1. Denard Span, CF
   
2. Orlando Cabrera, SS
   
3. Joe Mauer, DH
   
4. Michael Cuddyer, 1B
   
5. Jason Kubel, RF
   
6. Delmon Young, LF
   
7. Brendan Harris, 3B
   
8. Mike Redmond, C
   
9. Nick Punto, 2B
   

P: Scott Baker

TIGERS

1. Curtis Granderson, CF
   
2. Ramon Santiago, 2B
   
3. Magglio Ordonez, RF
   
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
   
5. Carlos Guillen, LF
   
6. Marcus Thames, DH
   
7. Brandon Inge, 3B
   
8. Gerald Laird, C
   
9. Adam Everett, SS
   

P: Nate Robertson

Wow...Looks like Nate has his good curve ball working today. That's a good sign!

Nice sliding grab by Ordonez to end the 1st! Twins fail to score, Nate only needed 8 pitches to get through the inning

Inning 1
Top Half

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Denard Span grounds out to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Orlando Cabrera singles on a line drive to left fielder Carlos Guillen.

B:0 S:2 O:2 -
Joe Mauer flies out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

B:0 S:1 O:3 -
Michael Cuddyer flies out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

0-0 AFTER .5 INNING

Bottom Half

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson flies out to center fielder Denard Span.

Looked like Curtis was swinging for the fence on that one...

Set the DVR for this game....just in case...lol

Nice single by Maggs. He finally woke up his bat!

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
Ramon Santiago grounds out, second baseman Nick Punto to first baseman Michael Cuddyer.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Magglio Ordonez singles on a line drive to right fielder Jason Kubel.

Maggs up to .300 average!

Cabrera Singles to deeeeeep right...Maggs to 3rd! Come on Carlos...drive 'em in!

B:0 S:2 O:2 -
Miguel Cabrera singles on a line drive to right fielder Jason Kubel. Magglio Ordonez to 3rd.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

Maggs up to .300 average!

Fabulous!!!

Ugggggh! Guillen K's to end the inning...2 LOB

B:0 S:3 O:3 -
Carlos Guillen swinging.

0-0 AFTER 1 INNING

boy are the mlbn announcers twins homers

Inning 2
Top Half

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Jason Kubel grounds out, pitcher Nate Robertson to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

Maggs hitting .410 since the all-star break, and .524 during day games...That being said, this could be a VERY big day for him.

yea the Twins have lost many players all year... so have the Tigers!

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Delmon Young singles on a line drive to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

boy are the mlbn announcers twins homers

That they are....pisses me off! LOL

Harris

Nice save by Granderson to end the inning!! I think he's still upset over 2 botched plays the last couple of nights

B:2 S:1 O:3 -
Mike Redmond lines out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

0-0 AFTER 1.5 INNING

Thames singles to D. Young...advaces to 2nd on the error! Nice job Marcus!

Bottom Half

B:3 S:2 O:0 - Marcus Thames singles on a line drive to
left fielder Delmon Young. Marcus Thames advances to 2nd, on fielding
error by left fielder Delmon Young.

Nice job by Inge to keep fouling off pitches and get Bakers pitch count up there!

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Brandon Inge grounds out, shortstop Orlando Cabrera to first baseman Michael Cuddyer. Marcus Thames to 3rd.

40 pitches already for Baker, only 1 out in the 2nd. At this rate, his day will be over by the 4th inning! lol