(Best E Casino) - All of a sudden, the Minnesota Twins find themselves in first place in the American League's Central Division heading into the regular season's final weekend. The surging and surprising club will try to stay in front when they play the first of three important games with the Kansas City Royals tonight at the Metrodome.

Minnesota entered this week's play trailing Chicago by 2 1/2 games for the division's top spot, but a crucial three-game home sweep of the White Sox has vaulted the Twins one-half game ahead of their competition with just a handful left to play.

The Twins moved past Chicago in the standings by putting forth a furious rally in Thursday's series finale. Minnesota fought back from an early six-run deficit and claimed a 7-6 victory on Alexi Casilla's RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Nick Punto drew a walk with one out in the Twins' half of the 10th and advanced to second on a groundout before moving to third on a wild pitch. After Denard Span was intentionally walked, Casilla laced a single to center off Bobby Jenks to drive in Punto with the winning run.

Minnesota tied the game at 6-6 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth. Carlos Gomez's RBI single brought the Twins within one and Span followed with a run-scoring triple to even the score.

Gomez finished 4-for-5 with two RBI and three runs scored to help Minnesota to its fourth consecutive victory. Span had three hits and knocked in three runs on the night.

The Twins' bullpen allowed just two hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of starting pitcher Kevin Slowey, who departed in the fourth after being hit in the wrist with a line drive. Joe Nathan, the seventh pitcher used by Minnesota, got the win with two shutout frames.

Minnesota now gets to close out the regular season at the Metrodome, where the club is an outstanding 52-26 on the year, against a Kansas City squad it has dominated in 2008. The Twins are 11-4 versus the Royals so far this year and have taken four of the six meetings between the teams at home.

Chicago hosts Cleveland for three games this weekend and still has a makeup contest with Detroit left to play. If necessary, that game will be held Monday at U.S. Cellular Field.

Judging by the way Francisco Liriano has pitched at home this season, Minnesota seems to have a good chance to remain in first place after tonight's play. The standout left-hander is 4-1 with a stellar 1.66 earned run average in six starts on the Metrodome mound and enters tonight's test having won six straight overall decisions.

Liriano's latest victory came on the road, a 4-1 triumph at AL East leader Tampa Bay on Sunday in which he yielded just one run on five hits through seven innings.

Since returning from the minors in early August, the 24-year-old is 6-0 with a 2.05 ERA in 10 starts.

Liriano owns a 2-1 record with a 3.80 ERA in five career games (3 starts) versus Kansas City. He had a no-decision against the Royals at the Metrodome on September 11 despite giving up just two runs over eight innings.

Kansas City has long been out of the playoff picture but has played very well recently. The young team has won 11 out its last 13 outings and is fresh off a three-game sweep at Detroit. In Wednesday's finale with the Tigers, the Royals erupted for seven runs in the fifth inning en route to a 10-4 rout.

Mitch Maier capped the huge frame with a three-run triple, while Tony Pena and John Buck each had two RBI to help back a sharp performance by starting pitcher Brian Bannister.

Bannister (9-16) scattered seven hits over six shutout innings to win for only the second time in his last 12 decisions.

The Royals will try to play spoiler tonight behind Kyle Davies, who's been strong on the hill during the season's final month. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA through four September starts and has posted victories in each of his last two mound trips.

After firing eight shutout innings to defeat Seattle on September 15, Davies tossed seven frames to two-run ball in Kansas City's 5-2 decision over Chicago last Saturday.

The 25-year-old's only loss this month came to the Twins at the Metrodome on September 10. Davies was tagged for four runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings during that game.

In six career starts against Minnesota, Davies is 2-4 with a 5.08 ERA.