When 162 game failed to pick a winner from the AL Central, a one-game playoff would determine the winner. When nine innings failed to pick a winner, the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers extended their battle yet again. Tonight, in Minneapolis, the Twins beat the Tigers in dramatic fashion – final score, after twelve innings of play, Twins 6 – Tigers 5.

Tied 4-4 going into the 10th inning, the Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge drove in a run, giving Detroit the lead for the time being. In the bottom of the 10th, Twins first baseman Michael Cuddyer answered with a lead-off triple, eventually tying the game 5-5.

The game, which lasted over four and a half hours, received a lot of attention from baseball fans on Twitter – ‘Detroit’, ‘Tigers’ and ‘Go Twins’ all became trending topics.

1. 
   andrewbronson This Twins vs Tigers game is crazy! There have been so many awesome plays. 07 Oct 2009 from web
2. 
   ZaneSafrit Aha. Twins-Tigers moving into the 12th. Baseball worth watching. 07 Oct 2009 from HootSuite
3. 
   EliseMichelle This game is going to give me a heart attack. #twins #tigers 07 Oct 2009 from UberTwitter
4. 
   Liquidslap Man this Tigers game is epic as hell 07 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck
5. 
   ccBaxlash Looks like the #twins#tigers will play 164. 07 Oct 2009 from web
6. 
   clayhebert Tigers – Twins is a nailbiter. Even if you’re not a baseball fan, turn on TBS. One game playoff. 5-5 top of 12th inning!! 07 Oct 2009 from Tweetie

With the bases loaded in the 12th inning, Inge would come up to bat again hitting a ground ball to Twins second baseman Nick Punto, who saved a run by forcing the runner out at home. Two outs, bases still loaded.

The next at bat – with a full count, it was the Twins 8th pitcher of the game, Bobby Keppel, who recorded a big strike-out against Tigers catcher Gerald Laird. Keppel preserved the tie and gave the Twins another shot to win.

With two men on, the Twins’ Alexi Casilla hit a ground ball hit into right field allowing the winning run to score. The Twins comeback would be completed in front of a home crowd of over 54,000, in a stadium which was not supposed to see any post season action.

1. 
   Dooflegna CASILLA PUTS ONE THROUGH TO SCORE GOGO FROM SECOND, TWINS WIN IN 163, WE’RE GOING TO THE POST SEASON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #TWINSTERRITORY 07 Oct 2009 from web
2. 
   tigerslive It’s over. Casilla singles in Gomez. No play at the plate. One-out single to right. 6-5 Twins, on the way to NY. Tigers finish 2nd. 07 Oct 2009 from web
3. 
   twinsmvb The Twins got their first win of the season in game 3 on a walkoff by Alexi Casilla. 160 games later… #Twins 07 Oct 2009 from Tweetie
4. 
   VVSports The Twins walk off with a 6-5 win in the bottom of the 12th. Alexi Casilla singled to right as Carlos Gomez scored from second. 07 Oct 2009 from web
5. 
   joebronk I love Alexi Casilla, I love Carlos Gomez, I love the Metrodome, I love the Twins and I love Twitter 07 Oct 2009 from web

The Twins begin their post-season tomorrow in New York, facing the Yankees in a best of five series. For now, the Minnesota faithful are happy, but users on Twitter seem to think the honeymoon will end soon:

1. 
   goldenacorn93 Yay the Twins won!!!! Now we get to go to the playoffs and lose to the Yankees!! 07 Oct 2009 from txt
2. 
   cpollak21 Congrats Twins, you have won the right to lose to the Yankees in 3 07 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck
3. 
   abbysimon Sad loss for the Tigers…good luck Twins, you have to play the Yankees tomorrow! 07 Oct 2009 from TwitterBerry
4. 
   tsantos RT @gruber: Congratulations to the Minnesota Twins for winning the honor of losing to the Yankees. 07 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck
5. 
   Skye_Rocket Twins win! w00t. We get to get smushed by the Yankees! 07 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck
6. 
   krumble Woke up in time to follow the end of the Tigers/Twins game. It was a pretty incredible game. Now I hope the Yankees crush them. 07 Oct 2009 from web

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