think the boys are feeling confident that we can make a real push

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier is having an historic season individually, but his accomplishments are getting overshadowed by his teams lack of success.In the first game of a Thursday doubleheader between Minnesota and the Detroit Tigers, Dozier set an American League record for most home runs by a second baseman. His first-inning homer was his 42nd home run of the year and 40th as a second baseman.Dozier extended his hitting streak to 24 games in the early contest, tying him for the third-longest streak in Twins history. He also scored his 100th run, the third year in a row he reached that milestone.Those accomplishments occurred in a 9-2 loss, and he went 0-for-4 to see his streak end during a 4-2 defeat in the nightcap.The Twins slipped to a major-league-worst 55-98 as they close in on their first 100-loss season since 1982.Its unfortunate for him that he hasnt been able to celebrate a lot of those home runs with the losses, said Twins manager Paul Molitor.As a team, the Twins dont have much to play for in the final stretch of the season -- other than possibly spoiling other teams playoff hopes. That didnt happen this week against Detroit as the Tigers swept the three-game series against the Twins. Detroit (82-72) grabbed a half-game lead in the race for the second AL wild-card spot.Now the Twins host another team in the wild-card hunt. The Seattle Mariners (80-72) come to Target Field for a three-game series this weekend, and they reside two games back of the final playoff spot.However, between the Tigers and the Tigers are two other teams. The Baltimore Orioles (82-71) are a half-game out, and the Houston Astros (81-72) are 1 1/2 games back.Were not dead, Seattle manager Scott Servais said. We need help. And we need to play good ball in Minnesota. Thats a team I dont take lightly. They handed us our lunch here (in Seattle) earlier in the year. Theyve got a lot of young players that play loose and free, and thats how weve got to play.Mariners center fielder Leonys Martin told MLB.com, We go to the road now, and we play good on the road. We just have to keep fighting and keep believing. Weve got a chance. All September has been like the playoffs for us. Well just keep playing and believing. Thats the only way were going to make it.For a Twins roster laden with lots of young and inexperienced players, facing yet another team playing for its playoff life could serve as a teaching moment.Through all this, you try to find ways to be optimistic and find something to grab a hold of and observe each and every game, especially with the youth that we have, Dozier said. This time of year, you can see it, especially the veterans. They do the little things right 100 percent of the time in order to win games. I hope (the youngsters are) observing this, a lot of people in here.The series begins Friday with Mariners left-hander James Paxton (4-7, 3.88 ERA) opposing Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson (6-10, 5.10 ERA).Paxton has just one win in his past eight starts, but he owns a respectable 3.51 ERA in that span. His lone career appearance against the Twins came last year, when he gave up one run in 4 2/3 innings.Gibson owns just one victory in his past six starts, compiling a 5.66 ERA in that stretch. In his career, he is 2-1 with a 2.81 ERA in five starts against the Mariners. Cheap Custom Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. Clearance Custom Baseball Jerseys . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. http://www.baseballjerseyscustom.com/custom-arizona-diamondbacks-jerseys-cheap-76c . 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Its a lot, but now we have the next objective and its the playoffs and obviously that will make us feel that the treble is possible.Dallas has a knockout-round bye in the playoffs, as does Colorado in the Western Conference. In the East, the New York City Red Bulls and New York City FC will sit out the opening round. The two-legged conference semifinals start on Sunday.A look at the knockout round matches:PHILDAELPHIA UNION AT TORONTO FC: Wednesday night, BMO Field.Toronto FC snapped a five-game winless streak with a 3-2 victory over Chicago in the regular-season finale and finished with 53 points, a franchise best. The third seed in the Eastern Conference, Toronto (14-9-11) has a talented roster with Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley and Sebastian Giovinco, who leads the team with 17 goals and 15 assists.The sixth-seeded Union (11-14-9) was winless in their last seven matches, including a 0-2 loss to the Red Bulls in the final, but eked out a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2011. The Union are led by Chris Pontius with 12 goals and six assists.Were going to need guys to make big plays in important moments and were going to need the fans to make this one of the most special nights in the clubs history, Bradley said about the teams first home playoff appearance.REAL SALT LAKE AT L.A. GALAXY: Wednesday night, StubHub Center.The story surrounding the Galaxy this season is the return of Landon Donovan, who has started the last two games, including a scoreless draw with FC Dallas in the regular-season finale. Robbie Keane says hell return from hip flexor soreness for the playoffs but the third-seeded Galaxy (12-6-16) could be without Steven Gerrard, who is still nursing a hamstring injury and is a game-time decisiion.ddddddddddddReal Salt Lake, the sixth seed in the Western Conference, returns to the playoffs after missing out last season. RSL (12-12-10) has been winless in seven matches, including a 2-1 loss to the Seattle Sounders on Sunday.MONTREAL IMPACT AT D.C. UNITED: Thursday night, RFK Stadium.The Impact, the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, had clinched a playoff spot before the last game of the regular season, but missed out on a chance to host in the knockout round with a 3-0 loss to the New England Revolution. Ignacio Piatti leads Montreal (11-11-12) with 17 goals, but much of the focus will be on whether forward Didier Drogba, unhappy with a recent move to the bench, will play.The fourth-seeded United (11-10-13) are hosting a knockout round match for the second straight season. The team won three straight before a 4-2 loss to Orlando City in the finale. Lamar Neagle leads United with nine goals, while Luciano Acosta has 11 assists.I think the boys are feeling confident that we can make a real push, United midfielder Rob Vincent said.SPORTING KANSAS CITY AT SEATTLE SOUNDERS: Thursday night, CenturyLink Field.Sporting Kansas City (13-13-8) finished as the fifth seed in the West after defeating the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0. Sporting, making its sixth straight postseason appearance, are led by Dom Dwyer with 16 goals this season. Benny Feilhaber has seven assists.Fourth-seeded Seattle (14-14-6) had an amazing comeback after a disappointing first half and the dismissal of longtime coach Sigi Schmid. The Sounders climbed six spots in the West, capped by Sundays 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake, to make their eighth straight playoffs. The team is led by homegrown forward Jordan Morris with 12 goals.We realize we have a big hurdle in regards to Seattle, Sporting coach Peter Vermes said. They are a good team. They made a lot of changes at the midway point that have changed their team. They have guys back from injury so they are feeling good about themselves. We are going in to the lions den and its going to be a difficult game. ' ' '