White Sox Alexei Ramirez, right, and Paul Konerko celebrate after scoring on Ramirez's grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)The Tampa Bay Rays will sit around another day before learning their first-round playoff opponent, thanks to Alexei Ramirez.
His sixth-inning grand slam highlighted a five-run sixth inning for the Chicago White Sox, who went on to rout the visiting Detroit Tigers 8-2 in Monday's makeup game.
When White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told Ramirez to relax before batting with the bases loaded, the 27-year-old second baseman made a promise.
"I told Ozzie to have confidence in me. I'm going to go out and get these runners home somehow," said Ramirez, who set a major league rookie record with his fourth slam of the season and helped Chicago shatter a club mark with No. 12.
The win moved the White Sox (88-74) into a first-place tie with Minnesota, which visits Chicago on Tuesday (6:30 p.m. CT) for a one-game playoff for the American League Central Division title.
Tuesday's winner travels to Florida to open a best-of-five AL Division Series on Thursday against the East champion Rays, who are making their first playoff appearance in the team's 11-year history.
"Tomorrow, 162 games mean nothing. It's only about one game and that's great," Guillen said. "A good feeling."
Chicago suffered a three-game sweep at Minnesota last week and has dropped 10 of 18 meetings against the Twins this season, but holds a 7-2 edge at home.
Another rookie will have a chance to shine, this time on the mound, as Minnesota right-hander Nick Blackburn (11-10) opposes lefty John Danks (11-9).
Blackburn has a 2-2 record and 5.67 earned-run average in five starts versus the White Sox, while Danks has fared even worse against the Twins, going 1-1 in four starts with a 7.93 ERA.
However, a pitching duel could materialize, considering the Chicago forecast calls for single-digit temperatures, a stiff breeze and a 30-per-cent chance of rain.
Rain delayed the start of Monday's contest by three hours, four minutes, but the long wait didn't seem to bother White Sox starter Gavin Floyd, who blanked Detroit over the first four innings, striking out four.
Working on three days' rest, he appeared to tire in the fifth when he allowed a run on three straight hits before fanning Ramon Santiago and Curtis Granderson and inducing Gary Sheffield to ground out to keep it a 1-1 game.
Floyd gift-wrapped the second Tigers run in the sixth frame. After Miguel Cabrera ripped his 36th double of the season, Floyd couldn't handle a dribbler to the left of the mound off the bat of Ryan Raburn. He bobbled the ball and appeared to rush his throw, watching it sail over the head of first baseman Paul Konerko and into foul territory as Cabrera jogged home.
Floyd, though, hung in long enough to earn his 17th win of the season, allowing two runs (one earned) and striking out eight in six innings.
Trailing 2-1, Chicago regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth after Detroit starter and former White Sox righty Freddy Garcia was forced to leave the game with an apparent injury with none out and Dewayne Wise standing on second base following a walk and stolen base.
Four walks, three wild pitches and a grand slam later and Chicago had the lead for good. Armando Galarraga, who relieved Garcia, threw two of the wild pitches and took the loss, falling to 13-7.
The defeat left the Tigers in last place in the Central at 74-87, capping a season they began with hopes of reaching the World Series.
"It's been a tough year," manager Jim Leyland said. "Today pretty much sums up what's gone on all year, really. It hasn't been a very good year and it wasn't a very happy ending."
The White Sox added two runs in the eighth inning, with Ramirez scoring after swiping his 13th base of the season.
With files from the Associated Press
