The Detroit Tigers earned the right to move along in the American League playoffs, sweeping away the Houston Astros 5-2 on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park. The Tigers came in with a wave of energy and clutch players, securing an American League Wild Card series victory. They all showed up when it mattered most. For the Astros, a veteran team of postseason play, this finish probably leaves a bad taste in their mouths.
Houston manager Joe Espada handed the ball to right-hander Hunter Brown in the Game 2 start. Brown was pretty solid in his effort, but that all went away due to a failing Astros bullpen. Ryan Pressly and Josh Hader, who signed a big-time contract in the off-season, could not maintain an Astros one-run lead in the top of the eighth inning.
They, too, will have to deal with their postseason failures as well.
Houston Astros Bullpen Goes Boom
Pressly, who was the Game 2 loser, bounced a wild pitch in the eighth inning. Detroit Tigers standout Kerry Carpenter scored from third to make it a 2-2 game. Pressly entered the game on a 14-for-14 streak in postseason save opportunities. That all came crashing down.
But wait, there’s more. Pressly was yanked by Espada after putting runners on first and third. With two outs, Hader walked the bases loaded. Then pinch-hitter Andy Ibáñez smoked a three-run double to the left-field corner for a 5-2 lead, MLB.com reported.
ANDY IBÁÑEZ CLEARS THE BASES!
THE GRITTY TIGS!!! pic.twitter.com/D0eYmY8Mjj
— MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2024
The Houston Astros went quietly in the eighth and ninth innings. It led to Houston fans watching yet another visiting team celebrate on their home field.
But the Astros’ vaunted offense, anchored by designated hitter-outfielder Yordan Alvarez, never showed up at all. In the Game 1 loss, Houston only put up a run and that was in the bottom of the ninth inning. In Wednesday’s Game 2, the Astros put up two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Jon Singleton’s fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly from Jose Altuve amounted for the Houston offense.
Alvarez, to his credit, worked to come back and play after dealing with a right knee issue.
Detroit manager A.J. Hinch, who managed the Houston Astros to the controversial 2017 World Series title, probably didn’t mind seeing his Motor City Madmen deliver in the clutch. The Tigers were clutch, putting up four runs in the top of the eighth inning for a 5-2 lead. That was enough to send the Minute Maid Park crowd home.
“Our city is built on grit,” Hinch said, The Associated Press reported. “That’s what it is. I remember saying that I wanted to have a team that this city is proud of. I think the city is pretty proud of what we’re doing and how we’re doing it and the fight that this team shows.”
Detroit Tigers Move On To Cleveland
The Detroit Tigers now move on to play the Cleveland Guardians, who won the AL Central, in the AL Divisional Playoffs. They get a little time to rest up and work on their pitching rotation.
As for the Houston Astros, they enter an off-season with a big question mark. Will owner Jim Crane fork over some big money to keep third baseman Alex Bregman on his team? After the Wednesday loss, Altuve was quite vocal in his desire to see Bregman return.
Jose Altuve on Astros free agent Alex Bregman: “I don’t want to get into anything about last game with Breggy. Like I said, he’s going to be our third baseman next year… In my mind, there’s no chance this was his last game.” pic.twitter.com/QCu3X4uZpf
— Chris Baldwin (@ChrisYBaldwin) October 2, 2024
Altuve, the unofficial leader of the Astros, has spent seasons paying alongside Bregman. He knows what he brings to the team every day, even when those days turn out like Wednesday.
“They did everything right to win the series,” Altuve said of the Tigers in the Astros’ clubhouse.
Joe Espada probably will get some criticism for his managing in the AL playoffs. Fans might wonder if starting Ronel Blanco instead of giving Framber Valdez the Game 1 ball would have changed things. In the end, Houston’s offense failed to show up in a clutch manner. The team added some bats like Jason Heyward and Victor Caratini over the season. Still, Alvarez, Bregman, Altuve, and Kyle Tucker did not produce in postseason play.
“It’s tough,” Espada said. “But I want our guys to be proud of how far we’ve come. It was a very challenging season, and we reached the postseason — that’s our goal every year. We win the division, and then play deep into the playoffs. It didn’t happen for us this year, but I want our guys to be proud of their resiliency and how tough this season was.”
Astros fans are probably going to be upset about the team’s finish. Yet they have had a front-row seat to watch the Astros’ organization put together years of postseason play. The Houston Astros didn’t reach the American League Championship Series this season, ending a seven-year run of doing so. The team can take pride in winning the AL West Division, coming back from a 7-19 start on the season to do so.
But this off-season will be interesting to watch. Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown also has to deal with a possible shakeup in the team’s lineup. Houston, though, has plenty of time to deal with it all.
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