Bobby Jenks worked a perfect ninth for his 30th save, the last out coming on center fielder Brian Anderson’s diving catch of a sinking liner by Alexi Casilla. That set off an on-field celebration that including a hopping scrum near second base, and players running to all corners of the ballpark to spray fans with Champagne.  “I can’t put it into words,” Danks said. “I’m still shaking right now.”  The game was a sellout, and almost everyone in the announced crowd of 40,354 wore black at the club’s request. “The blackout was tremendous,” Thome said. “I know we felt the vibe.”  With the victory, the White Sox (89-74) are the major league first team to beat different teams in their final three games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Monday’s makeup of a mid-September rainout with Detroit, which Chicago won, 8-2, to force this playoff, provided the quirk to make that happen.  It seemed appropriate that a home run by Thome decided this game. The White Sox led the major leagues with 235 homers, but struggled when the homers did not come. “When you have a power team you’re going to have that, because they’re going to be cold more often,” Guillén said.  Last week, Chicago led the Twins by two and a half games, three in the loss column, going into a three-game series at the Metrodome. One victory probably would have finished Minnesota. Instead, the Twins swept the series, coming from five runs down in the last game to win in 10 innings, and put the White Sox a half-game back.  That margin remained as each team lost two of its final three games. The Detroit Tigers flew here to make up the rainout on Monday, which Chicago won behind a grand slam by the rookie second baseman Alexei Ramírez.  Tuesday, the crowd watched and hooted as Danks, a 23-year-old who had won once since Aug. 16, shut down the Twins. Minnesota put one runner in scoring position all night when designated hitter Cuddyer doubled leading off the fifth.  Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire started Cuddyer over Jason Kubel based on his 7 for 12 career mark against Danks.  But Cuddyer still is not running at full speed after recovering from a broken bone in his left foot. He tried to score on a shallow fly ball by Brendan Harris, challenging center fielder Ken Griffey Jr.’s arm. Griffey made a one-hop throw, and Cuddyer crashed into catcher A. J. Pierzynski but Pierzynski held on to the ball.  “I still don’t know how he held onto the ball,” Danks said. “It looked like he bear-hugged Cuddyer at the plate. A great play.”  Guillén had been criticized in Chicago for playing the aging Griffey in center over Nick Swisher.  “If Griffey didn’t make that play, all you guys would have crucified me,” Guillén said. “But that was the key.”  Still, the White Sox could not break through against Blackburn until the seventh, when Thome drove a changeup 461 feet to straightaway center. Blackburn (11-11) allowed four hits in six and a third innings.  For Minnesota (88-75), the defeat brought a stinging end to a season that far exceeded the expectations of most. The Twins traded the two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana to the Mets, lost center fielder Torii Hunter to the Angels in free agency, and filled in with mostly young players around catcher Joe Mauer and first baseman Justin Morneau. Still, they nearly won their fifth A.L. Central title in seven seasons.  The admiration Guillén and Gardenhire have for each other manifested in a hallway, while the Champagne was flowing. Gardenhire, in a T-shirt and uniform pants, congratulated Guillén at the door of the White Sox’ clubhouse. Guillén slapped Gardenhire’s hand, and they hugged. “I’ve very happy for you,” Gardenhire told him. “Make us proud.”
Jim Thome’s home run to dead center broke a scoreless tie in the seventh, and John Danks held the Twins to two hits over eight scoreless innings.