Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - John Danks dominated for eight innings, and Jim Thome's solo homer in the seventh was all the offense Chicago needed, as the White Sox edged the Minnesota Twins 1-0 on Tuesday in a one-game playoff to decide the American League Central title.

Danks (12-9) gave up just two hits with four strikeouts and three walks for the White Sox, who won their third straight to take the division after a crushing three-game sweep in Minnesota last week.

Nick Blackburn (11-11) gave up just four hits and one run -- Thome's homer -- in 6 1/3 innings, with three strikeouts and three walks to take the loss for the Twins (88-75), who dropped two of three at home to the Kansas City Royals to close the season when another win would have clinched the division.

The White Sox (89-74) have a quick turnaround after their champagne- and-beer celebration on Tuesday night. They will play the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS starting on Thursday at Tropicana Field. This will be Chicago's first trip to the postseason since winning the AL Central in 2005, when the White Sox went on to win their first World Series since 1917.

The win ensures that both Chicago baseball clubs will play in the postseason for the first time since 1906, when the "Hitless Wonders" White Sox downed the 116-win Cubs in six games.

The White Sox trailed the season series 10-8 entering Tuesday, but lucked out by winning the coin toss which decided the location of the tie-breaker. The season series was dominated by the home club, with the White Sox 7-2 at home, but the Twins 8-1 when hosting Chicago.

The White Sox forced the playoff by winning a makeup of a rainout with the Tigers on Monday in Chicago, 8-2, thanks largely to Alexei Ramirez's tie- breaking grand slam in the sixth inning.

Danks and Blackburn dominated into the seventh inning, but Danks needed a tremendous play by Ken Griffey Jr. and AJ Pierzynski to keep the Twins off the scoreboard.

Michael Cuddyer doubled to left to lead off the fifth -- Minnesota's first hit -- and moved to third on Delmon Young's fly out. Brendan Harris then lifted a lazy fly ball to shallow center, and Cuddyer tested Griffey's arm. The veteran center fielder hurled a one-hop throw to the plate that Pierzynski picked off the dirt just before Cuddyer collided with him.

Pierzynski didn't have a chance to brace himself or his glove, but hung on to the ball nonetheless, and the double play ended the inning.

Thome led off the seventh against Blackburn, and the White Sox only had two singles to that point. The Chicago designated hitter unloaded on a letter-high 2-2 changeup, blasting it over the shrubbery beyond the center field fence. The massive homer -- Thome's 34th this season and No. 541 on his career -- gave the White Sox the lead.

Griffey laced a double into right-center with one out and, after an intentional walk to Monday's hero Ramirez, Blackburn was lifted for Jose Mijares, who retired Pierzynski and Uribe to keep the deficit at 1-0.

Harris singled to left with one out in the eighth for the Twins, but Nick Punto rolled into a 6-4-3 double play, and Minnesota remained scoreless.

Bobby Jenks came on in the ninth and struck out pinch-hitter Jason Kubel and got Denard Span to ground out to first. Alexi Casilla lifted a pop to shallow center, and Brian Anderson made a great diving grab to seal the win and Jenks' 30th save, kicking off the celebration.

Game Notes

This was the AL's fourth tiebreaker contest and the first since Seattle beat the California Angels for the AL West title in 1995. Last season, Colorado beat San Diego 9-8 in 13 innings in an NL wild-card tiebreaker game...This was the lowest-scoring tiebreaker game in MLB history, and also had the least combined hits -- seven.