When the White Sox topped the Tigers 8-2 Monday in a makeup game at U.S. Cellular Field, they forged a tie for the division lead after 162 games. Minnesota will play at Chicago on Tuesday, with the winner earning a date in the postseason against AL East champion Tampa Bay.

The first-round playoff series will begin Thursday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The White Sox had held a 2 1/2-game division lead entering a three-game series at the Metrodome last week. Minnesota swept that series to take a half-game lead, and the teams each lost two of three over the weekend to non-contenders.

Manager Ron Gardenhire will put the ball in the hands of Nick Blackburn in the tiebreaker. Blackburn earned a win over the White Sox last Wednesday, but he was shaky in his five-inning outing.

He certainly doesn't scare White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, never one to shy away from giving the opponent bulletin-board material.

"I'll take my chances against him if he pitches the way he pitched against us last time," Guillen said. "He didn't pitch well. When you've got the bullpen warming up in the second inning ... we just don't approach him in the right way."