Sox set up Twins title showdown

Ramirez homered with the bases loaded

The Chicago White Sox forced a one-game American League Central Division title play-off by beating Detroit 8-2.

Alexei Ramirez set a rookie record with his fourth grand slam home run of the season to take the Sox to victory.

Detroit led 2-1 going into the sixth inning but Ramirez's slam sparked a five-run rally.

The Sox now face Minnesota in Chicago on Tuesday, and the winner will start the first round of the play-offs in Florida against Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Chicago and Minnesota finished the regular season with identical 88-74 records.

MAJOR LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS AMERICAN LEAGUE Tampa Bay v Minn/ChiSox (2 Oct) LA Angels v Boston (1 Oct) NATIONAL LEAGUE Philadelphia v Milwaukee (1 Oct) ChiCubs v LA Dodgers (1 Oct) Date = 1st game; series best of five

Reliever Scott Linebrink said: "162 games wasn't enough so we need one extra, and we wouldn't have it any other way."

"It's a great situation. We fought for this and earned it."

Detroit finished last in the AL Central with a 74-88 mark, and manager Jim Leyland admitted: "It hasn't been a very good year and it wasn't a very happy ending."

Pittsburgh are still waiting for their first winning season since 1992 after ending the 2008 campaign 67-95.

The Pirates have equalled the Major League Baseball record set by the 1933-48 Philadelphia Phillies, but no NBA, NHL or NFL team has had a string of losing seasons so long.