Unbelievable

Story.

The Metrodome always has been a multipurpose building, but Sunday its role in Minnesota sports lore expanded, as the stale old marshmallow became the multimedia hub for one of the greatest celebrations in Twins history.

On the season's final day, Joe Mauer won a historic batting title, the Twins defeated the Chicago White Sox 5-1, and then the players settled in with about 35,000 of their fans for a little TV.

Together, they watched on the stadium's two JumboTrons as Kansas City finished a 10-8, 12-inning victory over Detroit that knocked the Tigers behind the Twins for the first time all season.

The conventional wisdom was that the Twins would need to sweep the White Sox to have any chance at the division title because (1) the Tigers were playing the Royals, a team that had lost 100 games and going into the final weekend of the season had the worst record in baseball, and (2) the Tigers would win the tiebreaker if the teams finished with identical records. Instead, the Twins won just one of three games against the White Sox, but the Tigers managed to get swept at home by the Royals and even blew a 6-0 lead yesterday.

Biggest choke ever? If not, it is damn close.