Ibanez's 3-run double propels Tigers to sweep of Astros in AL Wild Card Series

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.

"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."

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.

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

"Regardless that nobody was rooting for us, regardless that nobody was putting us in the playoffs in a good spot, we didn't care," Ibanez said. "We just put in hard work ... to make the results come."

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

Hader, who signed a $95 million US, five-year contract with Houston in January, allowed three hits and walked two in 1 1/3 innings.

In the postseason for the first time since 2014, Detroit also got a solo home run from Meadows in the sixth to help the franchise to its first playoff series win since the 2013 ALDS.

Just making it to the playoffs seemed improbable before Detroit went 31-13 down the stretch in the regular season, helped along by the leadership of Hinch — who knows a little something about October success from his time with the Astros.

Eight of the first nine Wild Card Series since they began in 2002 have been sweeps. It's the fourth sweep in postseason history for the Tigers, who previously swept the AL Championship Series in 1984, 2006 and 2012.

The Astros jumped in front in the seventh, but they lost their seventh straight postseason game at home. Houston's ALCS streak included four World Series appearances and two titles.

Big-hit Witt does it again as Royals sweep Os

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.

"I just had to try to run," Witt said.

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

"You never know when this opportunity ever is going to happen again, so got to make the most of it while you have it," Witt said. "That's the fun part of this game. This is why we do it, these situations here."

Second baseman Michael Massey, who led off the game with a double and scored on a hit by Vinnie Pasquantino, said the front office bringing in experienced veterans with previous playoff experience like Tommy Pham, Yuli Gurriel, Michael Wacha and Will Smith made this possible.

"They've been there before, they've done it, so I think it's helped a lot of guys," Massey said. "It's helped us, for sure me, to be around those guys and just watch them, more than anything, and see how they go about their business, has been — I think that's helped us stay even keel."

The Orioles were swept in their only playoff series for a second consecutive year, going 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position this time and 5 for 32 combined. They face numerous off-season questions, from the future of manager Brandon Hyde to the possibility of losing pending free-agent starter Corbin Burnes.

Chourio homers twice, Brewers beat Mets

Jackson Chourio tied the game in the eighth with his second homer of the night and Garrett Mitchell delivered a two-run shot later in the inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 5-3 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday that evened their NL Wild Card Series.

Milwaukee trailed 3-2 when Chourio led off the eighth by homering to right-center off losing pitcher Phil Maton, making his fourth appearance on the mound in five days. The 20-year-old rookie also opened the bottom of the first inning with a drive to right, becoming the youngest player to hit a leadoff homer in the postseason.

After Blake Perkins singled and William Contreras hit into a double play, Willy Adames kept the eighth inning alive with a single. Mitchell then sent a first-pitch curveball just over the wall in right-center, a 390-foot shot that sent the American Family Field crowd into a frenzy.

Devin Williams retired the side in order in the ninth to earn the save. Joe Ross picked up the win after pitching 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.

San Diego eliminates Atlanta

Kyle Higashioka homered and Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill added two RBIs apiece during a five-run second inning to help the San Diego Padres clinch their National League wild-card series with a 5-4 victory over visiting Atlanta on Wednesday night.

Fernando Tatis Jr. reached base four times on three hits and a walk for fourth-seeded San Diego, which wrapped up the best-of-three series in two games. Luis Arraez and Merrill had two hits for the Padres.

Michael Harris II had three hits, including a two-run homer, for fifth-seeded Atlanta.

The Padres will open the NL Division Series on Saturday against the top-seeded Dodgers in Los Angeles.

Atlanta moved within 5-4 in the eighth when Orlando Arcia led off with a single against Jason Adam and Harris homered to centre on the next pitch.

But Adam got the next three batters out and Robert Suarez retired the Braves in order in the ninth.

Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove departed after 3 2/3 innings with right elbow tightness.

San Diego held a 5-1 advantage when Musgrove exited. He struck out four, walked none, and gave up one run and one hit.

Bryan Hoeing finished the at-bat to Matt Olson after Musgrove left to end the fourth inning and pitched 1 1/3 innings to get the victory. Hoeing gave up a homer to Jorge Soler in the fifth.

Atlanta's Max Fried was torched for five runs and eight hits over two innings. He struck out two and walked none.

Fried got hit in the hip by a liner in the first inning. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said during an in-game interview that Fried was bothered by the injury.

After being shut out in Game 1, Atlanta scored in the first inning when Harris led off the game with a double, moved to third on Ozzie Albies' groundout and scored on Marcell Ozuna's sacrifice fly.

But with two outs in the second, the Padres strung together six straight hits while scoring five runs off Fried.

Higashioka got the outburst started by slamming a 1-2 fastball over the wall in left-centre. He also homered in Tuesday's 4-0 victory.

Arraez followed with a single and Tatis and Profar each reached on infield singles to load the bases.

Machado was up next. He had fallen to 1-for-17 all-time against Fried after striking out with two on in the first inning. This time, however, he lined a two-run double to left to give the Padres a 3-1 lead.

Merrill followed with a two-run triple that short-hopped the fence in centre.

Soler led off the fifth with a homer to centre to cut Atlanta's deficit to 5-2.