Orlando Cabrera had a go ahead two run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning of the one game playoff. [Courtesy Star Tribune]

There may not have been any Ravens game or Orioles game or UMBC game to watch tonight but for sports fans there was certainly something to get excited about. It does not matter if your favorite team is playing in it, but one game playoffs are always exciting and tonight’s match up between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins was even more than exciting, it was memorable.

The game looked to be over just as it began. In the top of the third inning the Detroit Tigers recorded three runs to go ahead 3-0, but Minnesota showed they were full of fight. Over the course of the next five innings not only did they tie the game, they went ahead.

Just half an inning after Detroit went up by three the Twins got on the board when third baseman Matt Tolbert capitalized on an error by pitcher Rick Porcello and crossed home plate.

With Detroit still in command of the game even after that, it wasn’t until the sixth inning when Minnesota started to show that they were in the one game playoff game for a reason. Jason Kubel hit a home run off Porcello to get the Twins within just one run of the Tigers, and one inning later Zach Miner blew the save for Detriot as he allowed a two-run homerun to Orlando Cabrera, which also scored Nick Punto, to put the Twins up one run.

But still the game was far from over. The next inning Magglio Ordonez proved he was worth hit big paycheck with a game tying home run himself.

But with the pitchers still not letting the game get out of hand, the one-game playoff went into extra innings.

In the tenth inning Detroit’s Brandon Inge doubled to left to score Don Kelly to the one run lead, putting Minnesota in a do-or-die situation at the bottom of the inning.

The Twins did not back away from the situation. Tolbert once again came up big for the Twins as he singles to center, allowing Michael Cuddyer to score the game tying run.

The 12th inning was the most intense. With bases loaded with Detriot players and Minnesota relief pitcher Bobby Keppel showing fatigue, the Twins looked to be done, but the defense stepped up big when needed.  With what looked to be the game winning hit for the Tigers hitting the ground, Punto scooped up the rolling ball and threw a strike to home plate to get Miguel Cabrera out. Then Keppel threw his lone strikeout to end the side.

With momentum of a huge defensive stop on the side of the Twins, it moved to the plate with them. With only one out and the Twins fastest player, Carlos Gomes, on third, everybody knew it would just take a bloop to the outfield to give him enough time to run 180-feet to homeplate.

That game winning hit came from Alexi Casilla, who drove a ball into short right field just enough give Gomez time to run to home plate and win the one game playoff to allow the Twins an opportunity to complete in the American League Divisional Series round against the New York Yankees.