Day 2 of the 2024 MLB postseason is the first day of possible eliminations, thanks to the best-of-three format in the wild-card round.
The Tigers, Royals, Mets and Padres all took a huge step toward the Division Series with Game 1 wins on Tuesday, and now they’re looking to get an extra day’s rest ahead of the Division Series, which get started on Saturday.
The Tigers, in the first game of the day, succeeded, winning a back-and-forth Game 2 to eliminate the Astros with a sweep.
Tigers 5, Astros 2
The Detroit Tigers shocked the Houston Astros in the wild-card series on Wednesday, beating the AL juggernaut 5-2 on their home field to advance to the ALDS.
The Tigers struck first, with a Parker Meadows solo home run in the sixth inning, then survived a two-run Astros comeback in the seventh and broke out in the eighth to secure the win. After a series of missteps by Ryan Pressly and Josh Hader, Andy Ibáñez played the hero with a bases-clearing double to give the Tigers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
The Astros’ elimination snaps their streak of seven straight ALCS appearances. The Tigers, meanwhile, have their first playoff series victory since 2013.
Here’s a look at the wild-card schedule for Wednesday’s Game 2s:
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KC-BAL: Colton Cowser out of the game with left hand pain
Colton Cowser is out of the game an inning after he took a pitch to the hand (and struck out). After a scoreless sixth, the Orioles are three innings away from that being his last at-bat of the season.
KC-BAL: Yennier Cano ends the inning with the bases loaded
Cano allowed a go-ahead single and walked Vinnie Pasquantino to load the bases, but he strikes out Salvador Perez to end the threat. Still 2-1 Royals, and the Orioles have four innings to save their season.
KC-BAL: Bobby Witt Jr. outruns the throw for the lead
Witt hits a grounder up the middle, which Jordan Westburg makes a great play on, but the speedy Witt juuuust outruns the throw to first for an RBI single. It’s 2-1 Royals in the top of the sixth.
KC-BAL: Orioles go for their second pitching change of the inning
The Orioles brought in Cionel Perez with one out in the sixth inning, then brought in Yennier Cano after Perez allowed runners on the corners. Cano will face Bobby Witt Jr. with two outs.
Also worth noting: the Orioles had a trained visit Colton Cowser and had him play catch during the pitching change. Cowser took that pitch to the hands last inning, but is staying in.
KC-BAL: The Royals escape a bases-loaded, no-out jam
Rutschsman pulls a hard grounder, but Bobby Witt Jr. makes a great play and throws out the catcher. It is somehow still tied, and the Royals breathe a sigh of relief.
KC-BAL: Colton Cowser gets hit by a pitch … and strikes out
With a 1-2 count, Colton Cowser swings at a way inside pitch and takes it on his hands. That’s a strikeout, and only the beginning of the pain for the rookie.
That’s two outs, and it will come down to Adley Rutschman.
KC-BAL: Lugo gets one out, then gets pulled
That’s one out for the Royals via an Anthony Santander pop-out (Santander wasn’t happy when he saw where the ball went) and that will be it for Lugo. He will leave the game responsible for all three baserunners.
In comes Angel Zerpa.
KC-BAL: Orioles load the bases
It got real for Kansas City in a hurry. After the Mullins HR, Ramón Urías and Gunnar Henderson both reach base, then Lugo bobbles a potential double-play ball from Jordan Westburg. The O’s have the bases loaded with no outs in a 1-1 game.
KC-BAL: Cedric Mullins ties it for the Orioles
Cedric Mullins, at home plate, with the wood off a Lugo four-seamer. He worked the count full after falling behind 0-2 then crushed one 398 feet to right field. It’s the first Orioles run of the series.
KC-BAL: Jacob Webb ends the KC threat
Webb walked Yuli Gurriel to put a runner in scoring position then struck out MJ Melendez. To the bottom of the sixth we go.
KC-BAL: Another pitching change for Baltimore
Couloumbe got Michael Massey and Bobby Witt Jr. out, but a Vinnie Pasquantino single will be his last batter faced. Jacob Webb comes in for the Orioles with Salvador Perez up for the Royals.
KC-BAL: Zach Eflin replaced by Coulombe
Danny Coulombe is in to pitch for the Orioles for the top of the 5th inning.
Eflin’s final line: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 Ks
KC-BAL: Michael Massey saves a run to hold the Royals’ advantage
After Santander and Adley Rutschman hit singles, and Ryan O’Hearn nearly put one through the infield, but Massey made a great, diving stop to prevent any runs from scoring and get the second out.
Ryan Mountcastle then popped out to help Lugo get out of a jam and keep the Royals’ lead 1-0.
KC-BAL: MJ Melendez robs Ramón Urías in left field
What a catch to prevent an extra-base hit.
DET-HOU: Tigers defeat Astros 5-2, move on to ALDS!
The Tigers win their first playoff series since 2013 as they sweep the Astros in the wild card to move on to the American League Division Series!
With this win, Detroit breaks Houston’s run of seven straight trips to the AL Championship Series. It will be the first time since 2016 the Astros aren’t playing in the ALDS.
KC-BAL: Royals strand two, hold 1-0 lead
Despite singles from Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez to set up a first-and-third situation, Yuli Gurriel could get add to the Royals’ lead as he popped out to end the top of the 3r
DET-HOU: Andy Ibañez, elder statesman, knocks a double in the 9th
Andy Ibáñez, 31 year old journeyman from Cuba, who didn’t break into the major leagues until he was 28, and is hilariously the elder statesman on this young Tigers team, comes up with the knock of a lifetime. God I love baseball.
