Ramirez slam lifts White Sox into playoff with Twins

The White Sox are one of the older teams around, but they still have a knack for taking a little emotion and riding it a long way.

It starts at the top, with GM Kenny Williams, extends down to manager Ozzie Guillen, and flows to the uniformed personnel.

When the tap is turned off, the Sox look flat and lethargic.

In Monday's makeup game against the Tigers at rainy U.S. Cellular Field, Alexei Ramirez turned it on and helped the White Sox float into tonight's AL Central tiebreaker against the Minnesota Twins.

The winner advances to the American League division series, which opens Thursday afternoon at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay.

Had the Sox lost to Detroit following a 3:04 rain delay, they would have gone home.

And the showdown game was in doubt until the sixth inning, when Ramirez put a charge into relief pitcher Gary Glover's first pitch. The rookie second baseman's fourth grand slam of the season vaulted the White Sox to an 8-2 win and a chance to keep playing in October.

Knowing the ball was gone as soon as it left his bat, the typically stoic Ramirez thrust both arms in the air before circling the bases.

Upon his return the dugout, Ramirez wiped his eyes and kissed his bat. "In key moments like this, sometimes I do," he said of the unusually emotional moment.

In his native Cuba, Ramirez played in the Olympics, the World Baseball Classic and the Pan-American Games.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said the experience has helped Ramirez remain calm and in control, but the 27-year-old infielder did show a different side after setting a major-league record for most grand slams (4) by a rookie while helping the Sox win a must-have game.

"I'm thrilled more than anything that I've had the opportunity and it's possible for me to help the team win by hitting those grand slams," Ramirez said. "More than anything, I keep thanking God for giving me this opportunity.

"Ozzie set the goals in spring training and he told us we have the talent, we have the ability to succeed, to get into the playoffs. That's been my personal goal."

Thanks to another blast from Ramirez and some solid pitcher from starter Gavin Floyd on three days' rest, the Sox are 1 victory from returning to the postseason for the first time since 2005, when they won it all.

"I think Alexei should be the Rookie of the Year," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "All we wanted was an opportunity, and we got it."

Facing former Sox starter Freddy Garcia, it looked like the game was going to be over early.

But after opening the game yielding 2 straight walks and Jermaine Dye's RBI single, Garcia retired 11 in a row before Ken Griffey Jr. singled with two outs in the fourth inning.

Garcia kept rolling along until he walked Dewayne Wise leading off the sixth. The big right-hander exited after that with tightness in his right shoulder, and the White Sox took advantage of his absence.

"I was worried about him when he left the game because I thought it was his arm," Guillen said. "Thank God he did leave the game. I don't think we took the right approach to Freddy; we were swinging at all kinds of pitches. We were just lucky to beat him."

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