Tigers, Royals sweep AL Wild Card series

HOUSTON — Manager A.J. Hinch wanted his Detroit Tigers to embody their home city. Hard-working with a never-give-up attitude, but most of all a team that had grit.

That’s how they stormed into October — and just kept going.

Andy Ibáñez 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.

“Our city is built on grit,” a jubilant Hinch said in a prosecco-soaked clubhouse. “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.”

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

“This is what you play for,” he said. “Baseball’s great.”

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.

“Regardless that nobody was rooting for us, regardless that nobody was putting us in the playoffs in a good spot, we didn’t care,” Ibáñez said. “We just put in hard work … to make the results come.”

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 he lined a 1-2 sinker into the corner in left for a 5-2 lead.

Ibáñez hadn’t driven in a run since Sept. 10. He hit just .167 in September.

“He’s had a tough stretch,” Hinch said. “But his season restarts in October, and he’s showing that.”

Vierling, Keith and Torkelson jumped around and high-fived in celebration after scoring on Ibáñez’s clutch swing. Ibáñez raised his arms high above his head and smiled as he reached second.

Royals 2, Orioles 1

BALTIMORE — Bobby Witt Jr. beat out an infield single to drive in the go-ahead run and send the Kansas City Royals into an AL Division Series with a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday for a two-game sweep of their Wild Card Series.

With two outs and runners at the corners in sixth inning, Witt hit a grounder to the edge of the dirt behind second base, where Jordan Westburg made a diving stop and throw to first. Witt was already there after zooming 90 feet in 4.14 seconds, allowing Kyle Isbel to score from third.

It was the second consecutive game in which the AL batting champion provided the decisive hit. Witt’s RBI single in Tuesday’s series opener plated the only run in a 1-0 victory.

Kansas City, which endured two seven-game losing streaks over the final month of the season, advanced to face the AL East champion New York Yankees. Game 1 is Saturday in the Bronx.

Cedric Mullins homered for the Orioles, who fell to 0-5 during two quick playoff exits the past two years.

The new-look Royals lost 106 games last season but used a 30-win improvement to get back to October for the first time since winning the 2015 World Series.

Bulletin

MILWAUKEE—Garrett Mitchell hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-3 victory over the New York Mets to tie their NL Wild Card Series at 1-1.

Game three will be today at Milwaukee.