MINNEAPOLIS » No need for a 163rd game in the AL Central division this year.

The Minnesota Twins have this baby wrapped up with plenty of time to spare.

Denard Span’s RBI single highlighted a four-run eighth inning to rally the Twins to a 6-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians last night.

The thrilling, come-from-behind win coupled with the Chicago White Sox’s 7-2 loss in Oakland to make the Twins the first team in the majors to clinch a division title this season.

Thus began a wild celebration at brand new Target Field, complete with champagne showers and beer baths in what used to be a pristine clubhouse.

"It never gets old, that’s for sure," first baseman Michael Cuddyer said of the team’s sixth division title in nine seasons. "It feels really special. We’re going to enjoy it right now, but we still have some stuff we want to do. And it’s nice to have 11 days to figure out how we’re going to do it."

This is the first time in three years that the AL Central race hasn’t gone into overtime.

The Twins lost to the White Sox in Game 163 in 2008 to miss out on the postseason, then capped a rally from seven games down in September last year by beating the Detroit Tigers in a one-game playoff to get in. But they didn’t have much energy left after the exhausting run and were swept by the Yankees in the first round.

"I think hopefully this will give us an opportunity to think about the postseason and get ourselves mentally and physically ready," Span said.

Jim Thome hit a solo homer and Danny Valencia had two hits and an RBI for the Twins, who got manager Ron Gardenhire his 800th career win despite being stymied by Indians starter Fausto Carmona for the first five innings.

The big lefty gave up the solo homer to Thome in the second inning, but was breezing through the Twins lineup for the second time in his last three starts before running into trouble in the sixth.

He walked Thome and gave up a single to Delmon Young before Valencia chased him with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-2. Carmona gave up two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

The Twins trailed the Indians 4-2 in the eighth last night. But Young had an RBI double and pinch hitter Jose Morales added the game-tying sacrifice fly before Span’s single scored Valencia for the lead. Orlando Hudson added an RBI double to finish off the burst.

"Each guy stayed focus, each guy stepped up and really just beared down," said Thome, who hit career homer No. 589. "It’s been a fun, fun year. I’ve had so much fun playing here. It’s been awesome."