Perhaps the baseball gods sensed that we needed a time out before things got ginned up again, so they brought us the 11th inning. The 11th was everything the 10th was not. Both sides went three up and three down. That is not to say the managers put their feet up and relaxed. Twins skipper Ron Gardenhire used three different pitchers to face the three Detroit batters. If there's anything Gardy loved when his team was in the field it was lefty versus lefty and righty versus righty. After witnessing the 10th inning double play, Tigers manager Jim Leyland must have felt his team was destined to win at some point. He was sticking with his closer, Fernando Rodney, even though Fernando by this time had thrown almost twice as many pitches (27) as what he'd typically throw on a short relief outing.
Despite its brevity there were a couple of noteworthy moments in the Twins' half of the 11th. Denard Span hit a soft liner to centerfield to lead off the inning. One would think centerfielder Curtis Granderson would have learned a "safety first" lesson after watching his teammate, left fielder Ryan Raburn, misplay Michael Cuddyer's leadoff single into a triple to start the 10th. But no. Granderson slid feet-first for Span’s sinking ball and...voila! He came up with it. Good for him because, had he missed a la Raburn, Leyland may have killed him on the grounds of justifiable homicide.
Orlando Cabrera followed Span by taking Rodney's first pitch for a strike. It was another questionable call by home plate umpire Randy Marsh, as the ball was caught by catcher Gerald Laird only a few inches off the ground. Cabrera took two steps back toward Marsh to argue, which of course was only asking for trouble. Marsh pointed toward the batters' box as if to say, "You've got exactly one second to get back in there." Cabrera complied but he was not pleased. He fought off some tough pitches from Rodney but then got rung up by Marsh on another questionable call. Once again the animated Columbian got into it with the man in blue, only this time Gardy came sprinting out of the dugout to pull his shortstop away before he got tossed. This is pure conjecture on my part, but what might have made the difference enabling Cabrera to keep from getting ejected is that he was probably chirping at Marsh in Spanish.
***
Entering the 12th inning the Tigers had used five pitchers, one pinch hitter and two pinch runners, plus they had made a defensive replacement at a moment late in the game when they had a lead to protect. The Twins going into the 12th had used one pinch hitter, one pinch runner, and like their opponent, had made one defensive replacement when they had a lead. It is interesting to note that for each team, the player removed for a defensive replacement was one of their big boppers who had hit a home run in this game, Magglio Ordonez for the Tigers and Jason Kubel for the Twins, coincidentally both starting right fielders. What their managers wouldn't give to be able to reinsert them now in this extra inning affair!
The biggest difference between the two managers was the manner in which they handled their pitching staffs. The Twins were on their eighth and final pitcher, Bobby Keppel, originally brought in by Gardy to get the last out in the Tigers’ half of the 11th. Keppel needed only 4 pitches then to retire Placido Polanco, so Gardy had him start the 12th. This, even though Keppel’s record this season was pretty dismal with a 4.96 E.R.A. and an opponents’ batting average of .300. As for how Gardy's bullpen strategy differed from his counterpart's, you'll see when we get to the bottom of the 12th.
Keppel made short work of leadoff man Clete Thomas, Ordonez' defensive replacement who entered the game in the bottom of the 10th, getting him to hit a harmless liner to Carlos "Go Go" Gomez, Kubel's defensive replacement since the top of the 8th. (Denard Span slid over from center field to right in the 8th, with Go Go taking over in center.) Dangerous Miguel Cabrera coaxed Keppel for a seven pitch walk. Don Kelly, who'd entered the game as a pinch runner in the 10th, made his first plate appearance as designated hitter, and this is where things got roiling again. The weak-hitting Kelly, owner of a .236 batting average with 0 home runs to his credit, punched a Keppel fast ball into left center field. Cabrera got a good read, correctly predicting left fielder Delmon Young would not be able to arrive at the ball before it hit the turf, so Cabrera easily reached third. Young got to the ball on the first bounce but he was running back and to his left, meaning that, fighting inertia, he would have to do a 180 degree spin to throw the ball to an infielder. The proper play, as any experienced outfielder would attest, was for Young to throw the ball into second base, because (i) that would force Kelly to stay at first, thus keeping the double play in order, and (ii) there was no chance whatsoever of throwing out Cabrera at third. Instead, Delmon did throw into third to no avail, and Kelly scampered to second. The Tigers now had two runners in scoring position with just one out. At first Gardenhire tried to disguise his emotions, slightly shaking his head subtly in disbelief at his left fielder's bonehead play. After a few seconds he could not contain himself any longer, as he could be seen pacing through the length of the dugout waving his cap in agitated fashion and expressing himself verbally to anyone within earshot.
Gardy smartly instructed Keppel to intentionally walk Ryan Raburn, thus loading the bases but also setting up a force at any base. To this point Keppel had not walked anybody nor had he hit a batter, but doing either of those now would force in the go-ahead run. Up stepped Brandon Inge, a money player who had stroked a double his last time up. Another controversial call from home plate umpire Randy Marsh was on the way.
Benefitting the Twins was having Miguel Cabrera as the runner at third. The big man was not fleet of foot, so the possibility of Leyland putting on a squeeze play was almost nil. But in the Tigers' favor was this statistic from Inge's track record: In the previous seventeen times Inge had come to bat this season with the bases loaded, he had nine hits (for an eye-popping .529 average) including two grand slams. This moment would have been excruciatingly tense even for a pitching staff's ace. Imagine what it was like for Keppel, one of the low men on the food chain of the Twins' staff, whom Gardy had used this season mostly in middle innings and in blowouts.
Keppel's very first pitch to the right-handed Inge appeared to be a two-seam fastball that tailed inside an inch or two above the belt. As Inge spun with his front shoulder starting to aim toward the catcher, the ball appeared to graze his shirt, which was tucked in but loosely fitting. Inge immediately reacted as one would who had been hit by a pitch, but Marsh emphatically shook his head "no." Leyland rushed out of the first base dugout to plead Inge's case. I saw Leyland pointing toward third base umpire Gary Cederstrom, obviously in an attempt to get Marsh to ask his partner for help. Also obvious was Marsh tapping his own chest a couple of times, signifying that the call was his, not Cederstrom's, to make. I was surprised Leyland remained unruffled, at least outwardly. I wonder what his disposition was when he saw the same televised replay I did that evening. It showed that Inge probably, but not conclusively, was hit by Keppel's pitch.
The drama surrounding the Inge at bat was not over. Catcher Joe Mauer saved a run by making a fabulous block on a fast ball which ricocheted off the dirt several feet wide of the plate. After fouling off a 2-2 pitch, Inge knocked a fastball into the dirt directly in front of home. The chopper was headed on a path very similar to Matt Tolbert's game-tying RBI single in the 10th. But Inge's ball never made it out of the infield, thanks to quick-thinking second baseman Nick Punto. The Twins infield had been at double play depth, hoping to turn a DP which would end the Tigers' threat. When Punto saw how high Inge's ball was heading he did not lie back waiting for the ball to come to him. Instead he charged the ball, and with his momentum carrying him toward the mound made a perfect throw off the wrong foot to Mauer to force out the sliding Miggy. It was the Twins' defensive highlight of the evening for several reasons. Punto had to decide immediately (and most likely correctly) that the ball was hit too slowly to allow for a 4-6-3 double play; the hustling Inge, even on bad wheels, would have had time to beat the relay throw from shortstop Orlando Cabrera. And, getting the ball to Cabrera would have required Punto to throw in the opposite direction from where he was headed. Punto also had to contend with second base umpire Jerry Layne and pitcher Keppel getting in his way. Layne, anticipating a Punto throw to the shortstop, was starting to move toward second base. Keppel also seemed surprised that Punto was throwing home; the 6' 5" pitcher was in the line of fire and had to duck to afford Punto a clear throwing lane. Catcher Mauer also keenly observed that a 4-2-3 DP was out of the question, so he concentrated on getting the force-out by stretching his 6' 5" frame like a first baseman to secure the throw. The force-out illustrated what can be done defensively with smart, heady ball players.
After the excitement of that bang bang play, it felt like the inning should be over. The Twins fans were high-fiving all over the Metrodome, some offering toasts with whatever adult beverages they had snuck into the place. The decibel level was off the charts. But alas, there were only two outs and the bases were still loaded with Tigers. Gerald Laird, a very fine catcher but a weak hitter, slowly made his way to the plate. Laird had already batted three times today with a runner in scoring position. In each instance he proceeded to make the final out of the inning. The fourth time was not to be the charm. Although he got into a 3-1 hitter's count, he ended up whiffing on a nasty, sinking, full count fastball. Leyland may have felt destiny was on his side after the Raburn-to-Laird double play in the 10th, but it faded after Punto's stellar 12th inning play, and evaporated immediately thereafter with Laird's K. They would prove to be the final two offensive outs of the Tigers' 2009 season.
***
By the time the Twins came to bat in the bottom of the 12th, Game 163 had been going on for four hours and thirty-two minutes. How ironic that the endurance test came to a quick consummation with a five minute, four batter half-inning.
I thought I was seeing things when Leyland sent Rodney out to the mound to start the home half of the 12th. The poor guy had already thrown 36 pitches since coming on in the 9th. Sure, Rodney was a perfect 36 for 36 this season in save opportunities, but were the Tigers pressing their luck? No one was warming up in the Tigers bullpen. Was the manager worrying about tomorrow's game, resting his other pitchers to face the Yankees? Jimmy, my man, to get to the Bronx you first have to win this game. Rodney was a closer, not a long reliever! The last time he pitched three innings was August of 2008, fourteen months ago.
Carlos "Go Go" Gomez led things off for the Twins. Gomez was hitting only .226, but his excellent speed made him well-suited for this role, if only he could get on base. Rodney was losing some velocity, causing him to resort to more off speed stuff. Gomez drilled a changeup through the hole into left field, a hole made a little wider than usual by virtue of third baseman Inge having to play up on the infield grass to guard against a bunt.
The chatter among the baseball gurus in the stands was in full swing. Most figured the Twins would try to get Go Go to second via one of two ways, either a Gomez steal or a sacrifice bunt by the next batter, Michael Cuddyer. Neither tactic was used. Gomez took a huge lead off first but he did not test Laird's cannon arm. Instead of bunting, Cuddy grounded out to Inge along the line, 5-3, with Go Go taking second on the play. Cuddy didn't get credit for a sacrifice, but he did manage to get Go Go into scoring position.
Leyland then had to decide whether to walk Delmon Young intentionally to set up a double play, or to pitch to the usually undisciplined hitter who was one for five in the game. Leyland chose the former, not what I would have done given the fact that the on deck hitter, Alexi Casilla, was fast enough to beat out most DP attempts.
And now a word about Mr. Casilla. To be fair, Gardenhire used him more as a utility player than someone who could be counted on to be an important part of the Twins' offensive arsenal. In 256 plate appearances this season, the twenty-five year old had only 17 RBIs. In mid-season there was a stretch of games in which Casilla had a chance to do something big, but he seldom rose to the occasion. Gina and I attended one of those mid-season games in which Casilla struck out, leaving important runners stranded on base. In one of my finer moments I opined to my daughter, "Casilla could not hit his way out of a paper bag." I remembered those words of wisdom now as he strode to the plate.
Once again the Tigers' respect for Gomez' speed affected the infield's positioning. Shorstop Everett and second baseman Polanco were "pinching" second base, i.e., playing closer to the bag to undermine Go Go's desire to take an aggressive lead. Even though first baseman Miggy was not holding Young (whose potential run meant nothing) on the bag, the fact that Polanco was playing near the second base bag left a large hole on the right side of the infield for the lefty Casilla. Such defensive strategy was a risk Leyland was willing to take partly because his left and right fielders, Raburn and Clete Thomas, had strong arms. In other words, the Tigers hoped an outfield single would not necessarily score Go Go if he was not allowed to take a big lead off second.
In his career to date, Casilla was three for five (.600) against Rodney. The kid looked unfazed as he glanced from the batter's box toward third base coach Scott Ullger for a sign. If he saw the big gap on the right side of the infield, he did not let on. Rodney's first two pitches, a ball and a strike, were changeups. Maybe Rodney was incapable of throwing a fastball anymore due to arm fatigue. Or, maybe the wily veteran was really trying to set the kid up for a fastball. The set up didn't fool Casilla, who hit a 95 m.p.h. fastball through that right side hole. The ball bounced at least seven times before Thomas could scoop it, while Gomez was flying around third. Before Thomas' very high throw reached Laird's catcher's mitt, Go Go slid on his chest across the plate with the division-winning run. Final score: Twins 6, Tigers 5.
The ecstatic Twins ran full speed out of their dugout to mob Gomez, who had slammed his helmet to the ground with joy. Somehow Mike Redmond, the thirty-eight year old reserve catcher who never got into the game, was the first to reach his teammate. After almost bludgeoning Gomez with slaps and pats on the back and the head, the crazy mob turned to Casilla and repeated the assault. The players were beside themselves with glee, as were the lucky fans who filled the Dome. This is what walk-off victories are supposed to look like. Conversely, the dejected Tigers, led by an exhausted Fernando Rodney, slowly retreated into the first base dugout. Their season was over.
***
This was an epic game that had everything: extra base hits, superlative plays in the field, relatively solid pitching, some controversy regarding the perceived strike zone, and runners almost continually on the bases. (In the game's twenty-four half-innings there was at least one baserunner in all but seven of them.) If there were ever a game in any sport where the cliche "It's a shame one team had to lose" applied, this was The One.
Four things stand out in my memory. First, I will always remember the Raburn-to-Laird double play in the bottom of the 10th and the Punto play in the top of the 12th. Both incredible displays of athleticism in do-or-die moments. Second, the constant stream of situations which compelled the two veteran managers, Gardenhire and Leyland, to make one decision after another: when to pinch hit, pinch run, bunt, steal, put in a defensive replacement, call on the bullpen, adjust the depth of the infielders, and maybe even offer words of encouragement from time to time. The wheels were always turning. In an interview a day or two later, Gardy said he and his counterpart met briefly and privately to congratulate each other on their respective team's efforts. Third, redemption times two, both involving the 10th inning DP. Raburn had made a horrible decision to attempt a diving catch on Cuddyer's leadoff triple. But he redeemed himself after snagging Punto's liner with his throw to Laird to complete that inning with the 7-2 double play. Casilla failed to tag properly at third base on the Punto liner, and as a consequence got thrown out at the plate. His redemption came in the form of the game winning hit in the 12th.
The fourth item ties in to the sub-title of this Part IV: "Unheralded Heroes." For the Tigers it was Brandon Inge, playing hurt yet temporarily saving the game with his amazing effort on Orlando Cabrera's rocket in the 9th, and whose double gave the Tigers a 5-4 lead in the 10th. Not bad for a 7-hole hitter. I also tip my hat to Fernando Rodney, whose manager kept asking for more. (The lyric from U 2's song With Or Without You comes to mind: "You give it all but I want more.")
For the Twins I recognize two pairs of players. Matt Tolbert and Nick Punto were the 8 and 9-hole hitters, but without their contributions -- Tolbert's dramatic game-tying RBI single in the 10th and Punto's multi-pitch at bats in the 7th and 9th plus his gutsy web gem in the 12th -- the Twins would have been in trouble. (Also, let's not forget that if Casilla had tagged properly at third in the bottom of the 10th, Punto's liner to Raburn in left would have been a game-winning sac fly.) The second pair is Carlos Gomez and Alexi Casilla, neither of whom were in the starting lineup. But when their team needed them most in the final inning they did not disappoint.
Benefitting the Twins was having Miguel Cabrera as the runner at third. The big man was not fleet of foot, so the possibility of Leyland putting on a squeeze play was almost nil. But in the Tigers' favor was this statistic from Inge's track record: In the previous seventeen times Inge had come to bat this season with the bases loaded, he had nine hits (for an eye-popping .529 average) including two grand slams. This moment would have been excruciatingly tense even for a pitching staff's ace. Imagine what it was like for Keppel, one of the low men on the food chain of the Twins' staff, whom Gardy had used this season mostly in middle innings and in blowouts.
Keppel's very first pitch to the right-handed Inge appeared to be a two-seam fastball that tailed inside an inch or two above the belt. As Inge spun with his front shoulder starting to aim toward the catcher, the ball appeared to graze his shirt, which was tucked in but loosely fitting. Inge immediately reacted as one would who had been hit by a pitch, but Marsh emphatically shook his head "no." Leyland rushed out of the first base dugout to plead Inge's case. I saw Leyland pointing toward third base umpire Gary Cederstrom, obviously in an attempt to get Marsh to ask his partner for help. Also obvious was Marsh tapping his own chest a couple of times, signifying that the call was his, not Cederstrom's, to make. I was surprised Leyland remained unruffled, at least outwardly. I wonder what his disposition was when he saw the same televised replay I did that evening. It showed that Inge probably, but not conclusively, was hit by Keppel's pitch.
The drama surrounding the Inge at bat was not over. Catcher Joe Mauer saved a run by making a fabulous block on a fast ball which ricocheted off the dirt several feet wide of the plate. After fouling off a 2-2 pitch, Inge knocked a fastball into the dirt directly in front of home. The chopper was headed on a path very similar to Matt Tolbert's game-tying RBI single in the 10th. But Inge's ball never made it out of the infield, thanks to quick-thinking second baseman Nick Punto. The Twins infield had been at double play depth, hoping to turn a DP which would end the Tigers' threat. When Punto saw how high Inge's ball was heading he did not lie back waiting for the ball to come to him. Instead he charged the ball, and with his momentum carrying him toward the mound made a perfect throw off the wrong foot to Mauer to force out the sliding Miggy. It was the Twins' defensive highlight of the evening for several reasons. Punto had to decide immediately (and most likely correctly) that the ball was hit too slowly to allow for a 4-6-3 double play; the hustling Inge, even on bad wheels, would have had time to beat the relay throw from shortstop Orlando Cabrera. And, getting the ball to Cabrera would have required Punto to throw in the opposite direction from where he was headed. Punto also had to contend with second base umpire Jerry Layne and pitcher Keppel getting in his way. Layne, anticipating a Punto throw to the shortstop, was starting to move toward second base. Keppel also seemed surprised that Punto was throwing home; the 6' 5" pitcher was in the line of fire and had to duck to afford Punto a clear throwing lane. Catcher Mauer also keenly observed that a 4-2-3 DP was out of the question, so he concentrated on getting the force-out by stretching his 6' 5" frame like a first baseman to secure the throw. The force-out illustrated what can be done defensively with smart, heady ball players.
After the excitement of that bang bang play, it felt like the inning should be over. The Twins fans were high-fiving all over the Metrodome, some offering toasts with whatever adult beverages they had snuck into the place. The decibel level was off the charts. But alas, there were only two outs and the bases were still loaded with Tigers. Gerald Laird, a very fine catcher but a weak hitter, slowly made his way to the plate. Laird had already batted three times today with a runner in scoring position. In each instance he proceeded to make the final out of the inning. The fourth time was not to be the charm. Although he got into a 3-1 hitter's count, he ended up whiffing on a nasty, sinking, full count fastball. Leyland may have felt destiny was on his side after the Raburn-to-Laird double play in the 10th, but it faded after Punto's stellar 12th inning play, and evaporated immediately thereafter with Laird's K. They would prove to be the final two offensive outs of the Tigers' 2009 season.
***
By the time the Twins came to bat in the bottom of the 12th, Game 163 had been going on for four hours and thirty-two minutes. How ironic that the endurance test came to a quick consummation with a five minute, four batter half-inning.
I thought I was seeing things when Leyland sent Rodney out to the mound to start the home half of the 12th. The poor guy had already thrown 36 pitches since coming on in the 9th. Sure, Rodney was a perfect 36 for 36 this season in save opportunities, but were the Tigers pressing their luck? No one was warming up in the Tigers bullpen. Was the manager worrying about tomorrow's game, resting his other pitchers to face the Yankees? Jimmy, my man, to get to the Bronx you first have to win this game. Rodney was a closer, not a long reliever! The last time he pitched three innings was August of 2008, fourteen months ago.
Carlos "Go Go" Gomez led things off for the Twins. Gomez was hitting only .226, but his excellent speed made him well-suited for this role, if only he could get on base. Rodney was losing some velocity, causing him to resort to more off speed stuff. Gomez drilled a changeup through the hole into left field, a hole made a little wider than usual by virtue of third baseman Inge having to play up on the infield grass to guard against a bunt.
The chatter among the baseball gurus in the stands was in full swing. Most figured the Twins would try to get Go Go to second via one of two ways, either a Gomez steal or a sacrifice bunt by the next batter, Michael Cuddyer. Neither tactic was used. Gomez took a huge lead off first but he did not test Laird's cannon arm. Instead of bunting, Cuddy grounded out to Inge along the line, 5-3, with Go Go taking second on the play. Cuddy didn't get credit for a sacrifice, but he did manage to get Go Go into scoring position.
Leyland then had to decide whether to walk Delmon Young intentionally to set up a double play, or to pitch to the usually undisciplined hitter who was one for five in the game. Leyland chose the former, not what I would have done given the fact that the on deck hitter, Alexi Casilla, was fast enough to beat out most DP attempts.
And now a word about Mr. Casilla. To be fair, Gardenhire used him more as a utility player than someone who could be counted on to be an important part of the Twins' offensive arsenal. In 256 plate appearances this season, the twenty-five year old had only 17 RBIs. In mid-season there was a stretch of games in which Casilla had a chance to do something big, but he seldom rose to the occasion. Gina and I attended one of those mid-season games in which Casilla struck out, leaving important runners stranded on base. In one of my finer moments I opined to my daughter, "Casilla could not hit his way out of a paper bag." I remembered those words of wisdom now as he strode to the plate.
Once again the Tigers' respect for Gomez' speed affected the infield's positioning. Shorstop Everett and second baseman Polanco were "pinching" second base, i.e., playing closer to the bag to undermine Go Go's desire to take an aggressive lead. Even though first baseman Miggy was not holding Young (whose potential run meant nothing) on the bag, the fact that Polanco was playing near the second base bag left a large hole on the right side of the infield for the lefty Casilla. Such defensive strategy was a risk Leyland was willing to take partly because his left and right fielders, Raburn and Clete Thomas, had strong arms. In other words, the Tigers hoped an outfield single would not necessarily score Go Go if he was not allowed to take a big lead off second.
In his career to date, Casilla was three for five (.600) against Rodney. The kid looked unfazed as he glanced from the batter's box toward third base coach Scott Ullger for a sign. If he saw the big gap on the right side of the infield, he did not let on. Rodney's first two pitches, a ball and a strike, were changeups. Maybe Rodney was incapable of throwing a fastball anymore due to arm fatigue. Or, maybe the wily veteran was really trying to set the kid up for a fastball. The set up didn't fool Casilla, who hit a 95 m.p.h. fastball through that right side hole. The ball bounced at least seven times before Thomas could scoop it, while Gomez was flying around third. Before Thomas' very high throw reached Laird's catcher's mitt, Go Go slid on his chest across the plate with the division-winning run. Final score: Twins 6, Tigers 5.
The ecstatic Twins ran full speed out of their dugout to mob Gomez, who had slammed his helmet to the ground with joy. Somehow Mike Redmond, the thirty-eight year old reserve catcher who never got into the game, was the first to reach his teammate. After almost bludgeoning Gomez with slaps and pats on the back and the head, the crazy mob turned to Casilla and repeated the assault. The players were beside themselves with glee, as were the lucky fans who filled the Dome. This is what walk-off victories are supposed to look like. Conversely, the dejected Tigers, led by an exhausted Fernando Rodney, slowly retreated into the first base dugout. Their season was over.
***
This was an epic game that had everything: extra base hits, superlative plays in the field, relatively solid pitching, some controversy regarding the perceived strike zone, and runners almost continually on the bases. (In the game's twenty-four half-innings there was at least one baserunner in all but seven of them.) If there were ever a game in any sport where the cliche "It's a shame one team had to lose" applied, this was The One.
Four things stand out in my memory. First, I will always remember the Raburn-to-Laird double play in the bottom of the 10th and the Punto play in the top of the 12th. Both incredible displays of athleticism in do-or-die moments. Second, the constant stream of situations which compelled the two veteran managers, Gardenhire and Leyland, to make one decision after another: when to pinch hit, pinch run, bunt, steal, put in a defensive replacement, call on the bullpen, adjust the depth of the infielders, and maybe even offer words of encouragement from time to time. The wheels were always turning. In an interview a day or two later, Gardy said he and his counterpart met briefly and privately to congratulate each other on their respective team's efforts. Third, redemption times two, both involving the 10th inning DP. Raburn had made a horrible decision to attempt a diving catch on Cuddyer's leadoff triple. But he redeemed himself after snagging Punto's liner with his throw to Laird to complete that inning with the 7-2 double play. Casilla failed to tag properly at third base on the Punto liner, and as a consequence got thrown out at the plate. His redemption came in the form of the game winning hit in the 12th.
The fourth item ties in to the sub-title of this Part IV: "Unheralded Heroes." For the Tigers it was Brandon Inge, playing hurt yet temporarily saving the game with his amazing effort on Orlando Cabrera's rocket in the 9th, and whose double gave the Tigers a 5-4 lead in the 10th. Not bad for a 7-hole hitter. I also tip my hat to Fernando Rodney, whose manager kept asking for more. (The lyric from U 2's song With Or Without You comes to mind: "You give it all but I want more.")
For the Twins I recognize two pairs of players. Matt Tolbert and Nick Punto were the 8 and 9-hole hitters, but without their contributions -- Tolbert's dramatic game-tying RBI single in the 10th and Punto's multi-pitch at bats in the 7th and 9th plus his gutsy web gem in the 12th -- the Twins would have been in trouble. (Also, let's not forget that if Casilla had tagged properly at third in the bottom of the 10th, Punto's liner to Raburn in left would have been a game-winning sac fly.) The second pair is Carlos Gomez and Alexi Casilla, neither of whom were in the starting lineup. But when their team needed them most in the final inning they did not disappoint.
