Tigers sweep Astros in AL wild card, face Guardians next - ESPN

HOUSTON — Andy Ibanez hit a tiebreaking three-run double in Detroit's four-run eighth inning, and the Tigers swept the Houston Astros with a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series on Wednesday.

Parker Meadows homered as Detroit ended Houston's run of seven consecutive appearances in the AL Championship Series. It was a sweet moment for Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who led Houston to a championship in 2017 and was fired in the aftermath of the Astros' sign-stealing scandal.

The Tigers entered Wednesday 1-22 in the postseason since 2000 when trailing in the eighth inning or later. Ibanez became the first player in Tigers history with a pinch-hit, go-ahead hit in the postseason.

«We've been doing this all year, and he was really ready,» Hinch said of Ibanez.

It was Detroit's first postseason series victory since the 2013 AL Division Series, which they won in five games vs. the Athletics.

Next up for the wild-card Tigers is a trip to Cleveland to take on the AL Central champions in a best-of-five AL Division Series. Game 1 is on Saturday.

The Astros have lost each of their last 7 home postseason games, the longest streak in franchise history and tied for the third-longest streak in the wild card era:

Kerry Carpenter sparked Detroit's eighth-inning rally with a one-out single off Ryan Pressly (0-1), who converted his first 14 postseason save opportunities. Carpenter advanced to third on a single by Matt Vierling and scored on a wild pitch, tying it at 2.

Pressly departed after Colt Keith reached on a two-out walk, and closer Josh Hader walked Spencer Torkelson to load the bases.

Hinch then sent Ibáñez up to hit for Zach McKinstry, and Ibanez lined a 1-2 sinker into the corner in left for a 5-2 lead.

Hader, who