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The White Sox traveled a difficult and winding
road to make the playoffs. And now Chicago has two teams in the
postseason for the first time since 1906.
      

The Cubs were already there, having clinched the NL Central more
than a week ago. The White Sox needed a tension-filled 163rd game,
a real squeaker, to qualify.
      

With veterans Jim Thome, Ken Griffey Jr., and A.J. Pierzynski
and young left-hander John Danks leading the way Tuesday night, the
White Sox beat the scrappy Minnesota Twins 1-0 to win the
tiebreaker and the AL Central. Now it's off to Tampa to begin the
playoffs against the Rays.
      

The last time Chicago had two teams in the postseason more than
a century ago, it was the White Sox, known as the "Hitless
Wonders," beating the Cubs in six games to capture the World
Series.
      

Now, for both of them to square off again in the World Series,
they'd have to win seven playoff games each.
      

"Special. It just proves that Chicago is a great baseball
city," said Thome, whose 461-foot homer in the seventh inning
accounted for the game's only run. "We're so happy from our end
that Sox fans get to enjoy this."
      

Danks had a special performance on three days rest, allowing
just two hits in eight stellar innings in a stirring duel with
rookie Nick Blackburn.
      

"That's the reason we are where we are right now," White Sox
manager Ozzie Guillen said of Danks. "I think it was one of the
best games he's ever thrown."
      

Griffey, who like Thome is 38, agreed to come in a trade from
the Reds for the chance go be in the playoffs. He made a nice throw
to cut down a runner at the plate with a tough tag by Pierzynski as
Minnesota's Michael Cuddyer ran over him.
      

Thome, whose long drive off Blackburn (11-11) was the 541st
homer of his career, hasn't been in the postseason since 2001 with
Cleveland.
      

Griffey's had waited even longer - his last postseason
experience was in 1997 with the Mariners.
      

"The hardest part was getting there. Now it's just a matter of
us going out there and doing what we've been doing," Griffey said.
      

Bobby Jenks worked a perfect ninth for his 30th save in 34
chances. After replacing Griffey in center field, Brian Anderson
ended it with a diving catch of Alexi Casilla's blooper.
      

"You never want to put 162 games all into one game, but that's
what ended up happening," Twins slugger Justin Morneau said.
"It's going to hurt for a while."
      

Cuddyer led off the fifth with a double, the first hit off
Danks, and moved to third on Delmon Young's fly to center.
      W

hen Brendan Harris hit a fly to Griffey in shallow center,
Cuddyer took off. He crashed into Pierzynski, who held onto the
low, two-hop throw from Griffey while tagging Cuddyer for the out.
Pierzynski then popped up and showed the ball as the crowd of
40,354 - mostly dressed in black - roared.
      `

I still don't know how I caught the ball. I have no idea. I
couldn't feel it in my glove," Pierzynski said.
      

"All I had to do was make a good throw. The credit is all
A.J.," Griffey said. "He put his body on the line for us."
      

Cuddyer took the gamble in the low-scoring game where, as it
turned out, one run did make the difference.
      

"I knew the only play I would have, if it was a good throw, was
to run him over," Cuddyer said. "I tried to. Once I saw the arm
get extended, that's what I went for. I went for his arm just to
drive the ball loose. Unfortunately the ball stuck."
      

The White Sox hosted the game because they won a coin flip
earlier this month and what an advantage it was: Chicago went 8-2
against the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field this season and 1-8 at the
Metrodome.
      

It was the eighth one-game playoff in major league history and
the first in the AL since 1995 when Seattle beat the California
Angels 9-1 to win the AL West. Playing for the Mariners in that
game was Griffey and Chicago bench coach Joey Cora.
      

A late-season slide by the White Sox began at the Metrodome a
week ago. The White Sox entered a three-game series with a 2½-game
lead in the division but the Twins pulled off a sweep to take over
first place.
      

Chicago came home and lost two more to the Indians but was able
to stay close because the Twins dropped two in a row to the Royals
at the Metrodome. Both teams won Sunday, leaving Minnesota up a
half-game. The White Sox had to beat Detroit in a rain-delayed
makeup game Monday to force Tuesday night's tiebreaker.
      

Joe Mauer went 0-for-3 Tuesday night but still won his second AL
batting title at .328. Morneau, who drove in 129 runs, slumped in
the final week.
      

The White Sox overcame late injuries to surprising star Carlos
Quentin, who was leading the AL in homers when he broke his right
wrist by hitting it on his bat in frustration Sept. 1, and third
baseman Joe Crede, who had back problems. Neither is expected back
for the playoffs.
Notes: The White Sox were 4-6 against the Rays this season,
including 3-4 at Tropicana Field. Javier Vazquez will start for
Chicago in Thursday's Game 1.

Gallery

Twins hit the road for one-game playoff

Twins, fans wait to celebrate

Twins take dramatic win over White Sox

Sports

The season is over for the Minnesota Twins. The White
Sox limited Minnesota to two hits as Chicago blanked the Twins 1-0 to win the AL Central title.

Finally a winner in AL Central, but not the Twins

Go Deeper.

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