GDT 10/6/09 - DET (86-76) AT MIN (86-76) - 5:07 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- After all this, the Tigers still control their own destiny. They're just destined for a much tougher place Tuesday.

Two weeks after the Tigers bid farewell to the Metrodome, less than a week after they hoped they'd seen the last of the Twins, it's time to head back one more time. And Tuesday's American League Central tiebreaker, live on TBS at 5:07 p.m. ET, could bring out a tougher atmosphere than Detroit has seen there before. Win and the Tigers will be headed to New York for the American League Division Series. Lose and they will endure an offseason of heartbreak.

"You might want to put your earplugs in," third baseman Brandon Inge advised. "It gets loud. That's OK, though. We're looking forward to it."

Considering the alternative was to go home for the winter, the Tigers will take their chances.

"Every pitch," manager Jim Leyland said, "will be a roar."

Leyland speaks from experience; he was a spectator there for a postseason game during his early years of managing. Now he gets to experience it from field level, with the challenge of trying to hold down Minnesota's run-manufacturing offense on his mind.

It was an intense atmosphere there when Detroit came to town for three games with a four-game lead to protect a few weeks back, with big crowds out to see the final weeks of baseball in the Metrodome. However, it wasn't the same as an elimination game. The Tigers arrived talking about taking the series and putting the Twins away for good, but after losing the first two games, their main goal reverted to simply not being swept.

That, obviously, is no longer an option. On the other hand, at least the Tigers don't have to worry about trying to take two of three at a place where they won just two times in nine tries this year.

"We still have a heck of a chance, obviously, to win this division," Leyland said. "After 162 games, we are in first place, and I think that's probably more than most people expected. I'm not trying to indicate that we're satisfied. I'm just saying that at the beginning of the season, I can't remember anybody picking us to win the division. And we haven't, but we are in first place after 162 games."

That was the message that resonated in the Tigers' clubhouse as players packed for a road trip that could either continue to New York or end the season. If someone had told them heading out of Spring Training that they'd have a one-game chance to win the division, the thought process goes, most of them would've taken it.

"It's one game," said Justin Verlander, who will be watching from the dugout after pitching the Tigers into the tiebreaker with a win Sunday. "Strap it on. May the best team win. Let's go play some baseball."

That view, obviously, requires a short memory. It doesn't include the three straight games the Tigers lost with a chance to eliminate the Twins. But that's the point. Part of their challenge between now and Tuesday is to put that all in the past.

"I think everybody's going to be prepared to win," catcher Gerald Laird said.

It was Laird who said Saturday night that he still considered the Tigers to be "in the driver's seat," even after all that happened. It was the same phrase he used coming out of the Twins series. As he also pointed out, the Tigers have a knack for winning when they've absolutely had to, whether it was the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Twins or Sunday's must-win vs. the White Sox.

If someone had told the Tigers they'd be pinning their chances on the right arm of a 20-year-old rookie, well, that might've been a tougher concept. But as Rick Porcello has shown, he can step up in big situations and give his team a chance.

Porcello gave the Tigers opportunities twice against the Twins in September, taking a shutout loss at the Metrodome on Sept. 18 before suffering a no-decision in a late-inning rally Tuesday afternoon at Comerica Park. Tuesday's makeup game from a Monday rainout led to his assignment in this one, since he couldn't pitch Saturday. If not for that, either Eddie Bonine or Nate Robertson would've been in line for this start.

Both of Detroit's losses to Minnesota behind Porcello came down to offense, but the club's ability to hit Scott Baker in past starts, even to a lesser degree in Thursday's loss to him, gives the Tigers a shot. To improve their chances, look for Leyland to tweak his lineup a bit with an extra right-handed bat or two, given Baker's splits. That will include Ryan Raburn, whose two-homer game powered Detroit on Sunday.


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Pitching matchup


DET: RHP Rick Porcello, (14-9, 4.04 ERA)
The AL Central tiebreaker between the Tigers and Twins will be unlike any of Porcello's previous 30 starts this season. He has pitched in high-pressure situations like Fenway Park in midsummer, Busch Stadium in a big Interleague Play matchup, and the Metrodome a few weeks ago to start Detroit's key three-game series there. Still, the last time Porcello pitched in a true win-or-go-home situation was likely high school. "I'm sure he's pitched in a tough environment," manager Jim Leyland said, "but I doubt that 50 scouts down the right-field line freezing their tails off in New Jersey somewhere is going to be like this." Porcello has two quality starts in as many tries against the Twins over the past 2 1/2 weeks, but he received two runs of offensive support in those two games combined. At the Metrodome this season, he is 0-2 and allowed seven earned runs in 10 innings.

MIN: RHP Scott Baker, (15-9, 4.36 ERA)
Baker will go for the Twins in game No. 163 against the Tigers in a game that will decide the AL Central champion. It will be the right-hander's second crucial game against Detroit in as many starts, as Baker also faced the Tigers Thursday to help the Twins split the four-game series. In that start, Baker picked up the win by pitching five innings, allowing only one unearned run. He's been Minnesota's strongest pitcher during the second half of the season, going 12-4 since July 12. He is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in four starts against the Tigers this season.


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Tidbits

... Magglio Ordonez has an 12-game hitting streak



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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit AVG
Granderson, CF .248
Polanco, 2B .286
Ordonez, RF .309
Cabrera, M, 1B .323
Guillen, C, DH .245
Raburn, LF .288
Inge, 3B .230
Laird, C .229
Santiago, SS .267


Minnesota AVG
Span, CF .312
Cabrera, O, SS .285
Mauer, C .364
Kubel, RF .300
Cuddyer, 1B .276
Young, D, LF .285
Morales, J, DH .316
Tolbert, 3B .228
Punto, 2B .228

Goooooooooooooo, Tigers!!!!!

Twins are -160 according to Vegas so they're huge favorites tonight.

this surprises you, catbox?

broadcast on espn and tbs. At least it's not joe buck and the yankee-sawks lovin faux sports

Inning 1
Top Half

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

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Placido Polanco called out on .

B:0 S:2 O:3 -
Magglio Ordonez flies out to right fielder Jason Kubel.

Bottom Half

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

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Orlando Cabrera grounds out, shortstop Ramon Santiago to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Joe Mauer doubles (30) on a line drive to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Jason Kubel pops out to shortstop Ramon Santiago.

0-0 AFTER 1 INNING

Inning 2
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:0 -
Miguel Cabrera doubles (34) on a sharp line drive to left fielder Delmon Young.

B:2 S:0 O:1 -
Carlos Guillen flies out to center fielder Denard Span.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Ryan Raburn singles on a soft fly ball to right fielder Jason Kubel. Miguel Cabrera to 3rd.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Brandon Inge lines out to shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Gerald Laird pops out to shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

0-0 AFTER 1.5 INNINGS

Bottom Half

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Michael Cuddyer grounds out, third baseman Brandon Inge to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:3 O:2 -
Delmon Young swinging.

B:0 S:3 O:3 -
Jose Morales swinging.

0-0 AFTER 2 INNINGS

Inning 3
Top Half

B:2 S:1 O:1 -
Ramon Santiago lines out softly to center fielder Denard Span.

B:4 S:2 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson walks.

B:1 S:1 O:2 - Placido Polanco grounds out, second
baseman Nick Punto to shortstop Orlando Cabrera to first baseman
Michael Cuddyer. Curtis Granderson to 2nd.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Magglio Ordonez singles on a line drive to center fielder Denard Span. Curtis Granderson scores.
DET 1, MIN 0

B:0 S:2 O:2 -
Miguel Cabrera homers (34) on a fly ball to center field. Magglio Ordonez scores.
DET 3, MIN 0

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

DET 3, MIN 0 after 2.5 innings

Go Tigers!

darn! tying run at the plate!

Bottom Half

B:3 S:2 O:0 -
Matt Tolbert singles on a ground ball to third baseman Brandon Inge.

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Nick Punto on foul tip.

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Denard Span singles on a ground ball to left fielder Ryan Raburn. Matt Tolbert to 2nd.

Trinita

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Orlando Cabrera flies out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez. Matt Tolbert to 3rd.

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
With Joe Mauer batting, throwing error by Rick Porcello on the pickoff attempt, Matt Tolbert scores.
DET 3, MIN 1

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Joe Mauer walks. Denard Span to 2nd.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Jason Kubel swinging.

DET 3, MIN 1 after 3 innings

Inning 4
Top Half

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Ryan Raburn singles on a soft line drive to left fielder Delmon Young.

B:1 S:0 O:0 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Brandon Inge pops out to first baseman Michael Cuddyer in foul territory.

B:1 S:0 O:3 - Gerald Laird grounds into double play,
third baseman Matt Tolbert to second baseman Nick Punto to first
baseman Michael Cuddyer. Ryan Raburn out at 2nd.

DET 3, MIN 1 after 3.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Michael Cuddyer swinging, catcher Gerald Laird to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Injury Delay.

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Delmon Young pops out to second baseman Placido Polanco.

B:0 S:3 O:3 -
Jose Morales swinging.

DET 3, MIN 1 after 4 innings

Inning 5
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Ramon Santiago pops out to shortstop Orlando Cabrera in foul territory.

B:3 S:1 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson pops out to first baseman Michael Cuddyer in foul territory.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Placido Polanco singles on a soft line drive to center fielder Denard Span.

B:0 S:0 O:3 - Magglio Ordonez grounds into a force
out, shortstop Orlando Cabrera to second baseman Nick Punto. Placido
Polanco out at 2nd.

DET 3, MIN 1 after 4.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Matt Tolbert on foul tip.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Nick Punto grounds out, shortstop Ramon Santiago to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Denard Span pops out to second baseman Placido Polanco.

DET 3, MIN 1 after 5 innings

Inning 6
Top Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, third baseman Matt Tolbert to first baseman Michael Cuddyer.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Carlos Guillen pops out to first baseman Michael Cuddyer.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Ryan Raburn pops out to third baseman Matt Tolbert in foul territory.

DET 3, MIN 1 after 5.5 innings

Bottom Half

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Orlando Cabrera flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:1 S:3 O:2 -
Joe Mauer swinging.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Jason Kubel homers (28) on a fly ball to right center field.
DET 3, MIN 2

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Michael Cuddyer walks.

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Pitcher Change: Zach Miner replaces Rick Porcello.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Delmon Young singles on a soft fly ball to center fielder Curtis Granderson. Michael Cuddyer to 3rd.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Brendan Harris replaces Jose Morales.


B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Brendan Harris hit by pitch. Delmon Young to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

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

DET 3, MIN 2 after 6 innings

Inning 7
Top Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Brendan Harris remains in the game as the designated hitter.

B:4 S:2 O:0 -
Brandon Inge walks.

B:4 S:2 O:0 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Pitcher Change: Jon Rauch replaces Scott Baker.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Gerald Laird bunt pops out to first baseman Michael Cuddyer.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Ramon Santiago flies out to center fielder Denard Span.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Pitcher Change: Jose Mijares replaces Jon Rauch.