Detroit, MI -- (Sports Network) - The Tigers will need to play one more game to determine the American League Central champion, as Justin Verlander's solid outing and Ryan Rayburn's two home runs and three RBI gave Detroit a must-win 5-3 decision over the White Sox prior to the Twins' 13-4 win over Kansas City.

Detroit and Minnesota came into Sunday tied for the division lead and will now play a one-game playoff at the Metrodome on Tuesday to determine who will face the AL East-champion Yankees in the divisional round of the playoffs.

The Tigers (86-76) had lost three straight, including the first two of their final three-game set, to fall into a tie with Minnesota despite having a magic number of two following Wednesday's action.

Detroit's last division title came in 1987 when it won the AL East crown.

Magglio Ordonez went 4-for-4 with a solo homer for the Tigers, who for the time being avoided becoming the first team in major league history to lead a division or league by three games with four games to play and not win.

Verlander (19-9) gave up three runs on six hits and a pair of walks in 7 2/3 innings. The right-hander set a career-high in wins -- tying the MLB lead this season -- and with five strikeouts finished with 269 for the year, also a league-high.

John Danks (13-11) was touched for four runs on seven hits in a five-inning start for Chicago (79-83), which still won five of seven to end its disappointing campaign. Brent Lillibridge had a two-run single in the loss.

Verlander faced the minimum through five, survived a leadoff single in the sixth and set down the side in the seventh.

But the Chicago bats came alive in the eighth down 5-0. Alex Rios and Alexei Ramirez hit consecutive one-out singles, and Ramon Castro doubled to center to put the Sox on the board.

Lillibridge added a two-run base hit, and Verlander was pulled after walking Jayson Nix with two outs. Fernando Rodney entered from the bullpen and Carlos Quentin greeted the reliever with a blooper to center that Curtis Granderson made a diving grab on to maintain the two-run lead.

Placido Polanco nearly added an insurance run in the bottom half, but his flyout to right wasn't deep enough to score Gerald Laird from third. Dewayne Wise's throw to the plate beat Laird by a good amount, and Ramon Castro held on to the ball after a collision at the plate.

Wise beat out an infield single to open the ninth, but a fielder's choice and a double-play ball off the bat of Rios secured the crucial win and Rodney's 37th save of the season.

Danks loaded the bases in the first and forced in a run with a one-out walk to Carlos Guillen. That was the only run the Tigers managed, however, as Brandon Inge was caught looking at strike three and Granderson grounded out.

The missed opportunity was quickly forgotten the next inning when Rayburn turned on an 0-1 changeup and relocated it into the left field seats. Laird also scored on the homer after leading off the inning with a bunt single.

Ordonez's eighth blast of the year padded the lead in the fifth, and Rayburn took Daniel Hudson deep to left-center an inning later for a five-run edge.

Game Notes

Back in 2006, the Tigers needed just one win over their final five games to close out the division but lost them all, allowing the Twins to capture the title while they settled for the wild card...Verlander entered 4-9 with 4.97 ERA in 16 starts against the Sox...These teams split their 18-game season series.