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    • Andy Ibanez plays Tigers hero in stunning Game 2 rally to beat Astros
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    Andy Ibanez plays Tigers hero in stunning Game 2 rally to beat Astros

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    Pop the champagne.

    Squirt some more beer.

    The young, surprising Detroit Tigers are celebrating again.

    They stunned the Houston Astros on Wednesday afternoon, coming back from behind with a 5-2 victory at Minute Maid Park, winning the wild-card series and advancing to the best-of-five ALDS against the No. 2 seed Cleveland Guardians. Game 1 is Saturday in Cleveland (1:08 p.m., TBS). The Tigers will host Game 3 next Wednesday.

    It’s the continuation of a two-month magic carpet ride for this young team that just defeated the Astros, a team that has made it to the ALCS in seven straight seasons.

    This time everything changed in the top of the eighth inning.

    The game was tied, 2-2, and the bases were loaded with two outs. Tigers manager AJ Hinch turned to Andy Ibanez to take on Josh Hader, the Astros’ talented closer. Ibanez came out swinging and committed an error on three pitches.

    Then, Ibanez hit a triple into the leftfield corner, emptying the bases and giving the Tigers a stunning lead, 5-2.

    Sean Guenther, an unsung bullpen hero during this drive, finished the seventh and eighth.

    And Will Vest saved three batters, thanks in part to Parker Meadows, who made a catch in the ninth.

    COOKING AT HOME: When will the Tigers play at home in the playoffs? How do I buy ALDS tickets vs. Guardians

    Root for the Tigers?

    No. This game was all about: “Root 4 tha kip.”

    In the sixth inning, Meadows hit a homer down the right field line. The ball began to curve and hit a sign connected to the foul pole that read, “Root 4 tha kip.”

    Meadows circled the bases as the Tigers took a 1-0 lead.

    Incredible drama

    The game was full of drama and breathers, most of which took place with the Astros at the plate.

    It was like watching someone in the movies trying to walk through a minefield. Every step seemed dangerous. Every moment full of tension.

    It started in the first inning when Jose Altuve crushed a ball down the third base line. But Zach McKinstry went hard right, picked it up, planted it and shot across the field, bouncing the ball to Spencer Torkelson, who stretched perfectly for the clean sheet.

    Or the time Tyler Holton pitched in the fourth inning and Alex Bregman crushed a 90-mph sinker to center field. But Meadows tracked it down before the wall.

    Or the time in the fourth inning when Jeremy Pena hit with two guys on and one out. But Brant Hurter made sure to tailor a double play.

    Or the moment Hinch turned to Brenan Hanifee to face Alex Bregman, who promptly singled to left.

    After Jeremy Pena walked, Jeremy Hayward lined up a pair of balls down the right field line, but they both made an error. Hardly. Both foul balls were breath-holding moments. And then he struck him out on eight pitches.

    Or the time Beau Brieske entered the game in the fifth inning and faced Altuva with a man on first and one out. He let it fly harmlessly into the middle.

    Or a little later when Brieske faced Kyle Tucker with a man in second place. Brieske just swatted him away as he watched.

    Or when Brieske faced Bregman in the sixth, with a runner on and no outs. But he lined out to Riley Greene in left.

    Detroit native Hunter Brown shuts down Tigers

    One of the most memorable parts of this game was watching the Tigers face Hunter Brown, a 26-year-old pitcher from St. Clair Shores Lakeview High School.

    You had to assume he played at Michigan or Michigan State, right? No.

    So he definitely had to pitch at Central Michigan, Eastern or Western, right? No.

    He pitched at Wayne State, a Division II school that offers a partial baseball scholarship.

    He has taken the hard road so far and deserves all the credit.

    Here was a hometown boy pitching against the team he grew up rooting for, and he was dealing, throwing strikes and allowing just one hit in four innings in a must-win game.

    But the streak of success ended in the top of the sixth inning when Meadows hit a home run, which he barely kept honest. Brown was pulled in the top of the sixth inning, when the Tigers were leading 1-0. He had thrown 99 pitches, struck out nine and allowed only two hits, before receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.

    Jackson Jobe’s move isn’t working

    In the seventh inning, with the Tigers leading 1–0, Hinch turned to Jackson Jobe, a rookie who had only four innings of MLB experience, and promptly hit Victor Caratini. Then Jeremy Pena turned a ball to center. After a mound visit and a pitching com situation, Mauricio Dubon hit a bunt, but the Tigers couldn’t make a play.

    With the bases loaded and no outs, Jobe faced Jon Singleton, a pinch hitter. He hit a grounder to Spencer Torkelson, who dove, caught it and turned it home from his knees, but Jake Rogers couldn’t get to it.

    So here came Jose Altuve. He hit a foul ball to Matt Vierling in right, who caught the ball in foul territory and Pena was unable to throw it out as the Astros took a 2-1 lead.

    But that was all wiped away by Ibanez.

    More: The Detroit Tigers secret is out: A rare team meeting led to a stunning MLB playoff surge

    Mix and match

    The Tigers started Tyler Holton, who pitched in the eighth inning in Game 1 on Tuesday.

    Holton did his job perfectly and got through the top of the first inning without any damage, throwing only 18 pitches.

    Then Hinch started rolling through his bullpen.

    “Obviously (Tarik) Skubal isn’t pitching today,” Hinch told ABC midway through the fourth inning. “We have eleven other guys. They are all available. We’ll see how the rest of the game goes.”

    Hinch went 1.2 innings to Brenan Hanifee.

    Brant Hurter for 1.2.

    Beau Brieske for 1⅔.

    Jobe out for one.

    Guenther went 1⅔.

    And Vest got the save.

    More: Give Scott Harris credit: his plan is clearly working for the Detroit Tigers

    Contact Jeff Seidel: [email protected]. Follow him on X @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, visit freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.

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