HOUSTON -- Andy Ibanez produced a pinch-hit, two-out, three-run double in the top of the eighth inning and the Detroit Tigers capped a stunning sweep of their American League wild-card series with a 5-2 comeback victory over the Houston Astros in Game 2 on Wednesday. With their two-game sweep, the Tigers advanced to the AL Division Series to face the Cleveland Guardians, with Game 1 set for Saturday in Cleveland. Detroit finished 6-7 against the AL Central champions this season.
After Houston scratched across a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to secure a 2-1 lead, the Tigers fashioned a response against Astros reliever Ryan Pressly. Kerry Carpenter and Matt Veirling delivered back-to-back, one-out singles before Pressly (0-1) uncorked a wild pitch that plated Carpenter with the tying run. Pressly departed following his two-out walk to Colt Keith.
The Tigers kept the rally going against Astros closer Josh Hader, who walked Spencer Torkelson to load the bases. Ibanez, hitting for Zach McKinstry, lined a 1-2 sinker into the left field corner to score Vierling, Keith and Torkelson and supply Detroit with a three-run lead. Six pitchers followed Tigers opener Tyler Horton, with the first three -- Brenan Hanifee, Brant Hurter and Beau Brieske -- combining with Horton to keep the Astros scoreless through six.
Sean Guenther (1-0) and Will Vest worked the final 2 2/3 innings, with Vest recording the save with a perfect ninth. "If you can switch the psyche and maybe take a tic.