Third baseman Joe Crede raised his arms in the air when he rounded first base. He couldn't help himself, and after 4 hours and 48 minutes of baseball, the celebration might have been caused by relief as much as joy.
Crede tossed his helmet to the side before jumping into the dog pile at home plate after securing Minnesota's 13-inning win over Detroit, in a role befitting of the former White Sox slugger. This kind of play -- a two-run homer in Tuesday's win, and a walk-off grand slam Wednesday -- is what Minnesota signed up for this offseason. "Really, my whole approach was just to take, because (Detroit's Brandon Lyon) wasn't even close with (Michael Cuddyer). Then he threw strikes, and my approach completely changed, just hit one up the middle," Crede said. "I saw with the previous hitters, he was flipping that curveball in there for strikes, so really, I was just sitting on it."
The grand slam was the seventh of Crede's career and the second walk-off grand slam he's hit. When was the other?
"Against Toronto in 2002," Crede said with a wide smile. "You never forget those."
Crede has now hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games. He's batting .294 with four home runs, 10 RBIs and 10 runs during that time.
TWINS 14, TIGERS 10 (13 innings): Minnesota's bullpen surrendered two leads, but after RHP Jesse Crain allowed Detroit to score the go-ahead run in the top of the 13th by balking Curtis Granderson home, 3B Joe Crede came through with a walk-off grand slam.
