Game 163

You know that feeling that you get in your stomach when you go into a class and there is a pop quiz that day and you had no clue what it is on? Your stomach is turning and you feel like the only way you would feel better is if you threw up? Well I had that feeling yesterday before game 163 between the Minnesota Twins and the Detroit Tigers. It was either nerves or the left over subway I had eaten the night before (I'm not sure which).

After skipping classes (priorities people) I made my way to the dome for perhaps the last time ever. I was nervous. I was excited. But most of all I was glad I was at the dome. Just to be there was the most important thing and to say the dome was rocking would be like saying that Lucy likes to chew on things, it would be to obvious. Upon receiving our homer hankies (its a Twins thing) Z and I proceeded to our seats (which were above the baggy. Those who have never sat above the baggy, don't. Just don't).

The first two innings were quick with neither team posing a threat but that all changed in the top of the 3rd inning. The Tigers struck first when notorious Twin killer Magglio Ordonez knocked a single into center field scoring Curtis Granderson from 2nd. Fresh off being arrested for fighting with his wife and being very drunk, Miguel Cabrera had a lot of pressure riding on his broad shoulders and he responded by blasting a 2-run shot over Denard Span's head and into the folded up center field seats to make it a 3-0 game. Another heartbreak loss looked to be in store for us Twins fans...

The Twins got a run back in the bottom of the 3rd as Rick Porcello was a little bit too worried about Denard Span at first base and threw the ball past Cabrera, which bounced and hit Twins first base coach Jerry White in the stomach. This was actually a break for the Tigers as Span would have easily advanced to 2nd if not 3rd base and there was only one out at the time. The Twins then went quietly the rest of the inning. Both team actually went quiet until Jason Kubel stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the 6th with two outs and blasted a Porcello offering into the upper deck in center field. The home run made it 3-2 in Detroits favor and things were looking up. I kept saying to myself that if they Twins can keep it a one run game that I liked their chances.

I liked their chances even more if they had a one run lead...something they had after Orlando Cabrera's 2-run home in the bottom of the 7th inning. I remember the crack of the bat and Z saying "oh, get out" just as O-Cab connected. The crowd went absolutely bonkers and I squeezed my 2nd Nesler at the Twins game (the first being after Alexi had the game winning hit vs the White Sux last year) But yet again, our jubilation was short lived as Magglio struck again and lined the 2nd pitch of the 8th inning over the left field wall, tying the game up at 4. And yet again we were left slumping in our seats wondering what else was in store for game 163...

The Tigers had the best threat to win the AL Central in the 9th inning. Twins closer, Joe Nathan was on the bump and Magglio was again at the plate with one out. I feared the worst as a hot liner shot off Magglio's bat...and right into Orlando Cabrera's glove. Cabrera then threw a bullet to Cuddyer at first which doubled up the sleeping Curtis Granderson and ended the inning stranding a Tiger runner on 3rd.

Now we get to the meaty stuff...Top of the 10th inning the tigers scratch a run across as Brandon Inge lined a two-out double to the left field wall scoring Don Kelly (?) from 2nd. As the inning ended the Twins played their regular "Don't give up fans" video with all of the players saying that its not over. Perhaps it was foreshadowing the feature. But the thing that got my attention the most was when over the loud speakers we hear the opening of Don't Stop Believing by Journey. Stereotypical yes. But the reason why this time was special was the addition that we Twins fans put on the song. It went like this, "Just a city boy, born and raised in south de-booooooooooooo". The crowd started cheering and instead of thinking normally (the Twins will blow it) I thought, no, I felt that something good was going to happen. We didn't have to wait long as Cuddy stepped up to the plate and delivered a triple and dropped right in front of the sliding Ryan Raburn. Cuddy later scored to tie the game (on a Matt Tolbert dribbler up the middle) and on to more extras we went...

After each team left guys on base in the 11th (how many? I don't know, its all fuzzy now) the 12th was set up to be a classic. First the Tigers filled the bases up with one out in the inning. Again it was Brandon Inge at the plate with runners on and again he should have had a go ahead rbi. I say should because even from where I was sitting I could see that the ball hit Inge's jersey but good thing that I wasn't an umpire for the game because Randy Marsh (not this Randy Marsh) saw it otherwise. Inge then bounced a ball up the middle over Bobby Keppel's head and the play that Nick Punto made will be overlooked but shouldn't be. Punto had no play to 2nd base so he fired home to get the force out at home, preventing the go ahead run to score and Keppel got Laird to strike out to end the 12th.

And we all know the rest. Alexi again came up huge and Gomez scored the winning run. The Twins won the American League Central. The feeling that I had was indescribable as we were hugging everyone that was close enough to hug. Meredith almost broke my ribs, she squeezed me so hard and we didn't know what to do next. Do we stick around until they make us leave? Do we chant until we lose our voice? I was very jealous of the fans in the lower bowl that got to slap hands with the Twins players but I felt as if the Twins high fived my heart. Thats why I love the Twins. They don't and won't give up. Ever. I don't even have to say that the Twins were the first team to win a division title after trailing 3 games with 4 games to play. The Twins capped off the Tigers historical collapse as they were they 4th team in the modern era to blow a 7 game lead in August. Victory is ours!

Bring on them Yanks...