Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros Pick & Prediction OCTOBER 2nd 2024

Stadium: Minute Maid Park Houston
Logo Detroit Tigers
VS
Logo Houston Astros
7.5
OPENER
-160
7.5o -110
CURRENT
-1.5 +125
+155
MONEYLINE
-169
5
SCORE
2

Preview and Prediction

HOUSTON Astros manager Joe Espada was content with the contributions of Yordan Alvarez in Houston's 3-1 defeat in Game 1 of the American League wild-card series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday.

The Astros require all the assistance they can receive as they strive to even the best-of-three series on Wednesday afternoon.

Alvarez went 2-for-4 in his first appearance since injuring his right knee on Sept. 22. He was replaced by pinch runner Zach Dezenzo, who scored the Astros' sole run in the ninth inning.

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"He collected two hits, a double and a single," Espada remarked on Alvarez's performance. "He moved around quite well. His swings were powerful. He was able to rotate. He looked good running out of the box. He reached second base on the double, so it was really encouraging to see."

With Alvarez appearing to be in good health, the Astros will pin their hopes on right-hander Hunter Brown (11-9, 3.49 ERA), who will start in a potential elimination game for Houston on Wednesday.

Espada stated that Brown was an obvious choice to start Game 2. Brown experienced a remarkable turnaround during the season after his only relief appearance of the year in Detroit on May 11, going 6-1 with a 1.83 ERA in his next nine starts. Following a rough outing against the Minnesota Twins on July 6, Brown went 5-3 with a 2.32 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings over his final 13 starts.

"That was probably a turning point for me at the time," Brown said of his relief appearance against the Tigers, where he pitched five innings and allowed only one run. "I was struggling a bit, and it was something that Joe and (Astros pitching coach) Josh (Miller) had talked to me about, coming out of the bullpen to possibly jump-start the season and get me back on track.

"So, yeah, it just happened to be the timing of it."

Brown has a 3-0 record with a 2.93 ERA in five career games (four starts) against Detroit. This will be his first time starting a postseason game after recording no decisions and a 1.69 ERA in seven relief appearances over the past two Octobers.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch will use an opener in Game 2, giving left-hander Tyler Holton (7-2, 2.19 ERA) the starting assignment. Holton is coming off a strong September where he went 2-1 with two saves and a 1.06 ERA. He has made three appearances against Houston in his career, all in relief, and has a 0-0 record with a 6.35 ERA.

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Hinch promised that chaos would be the theme for his pitching staff after ace Tarik Skubal. Skubal delivered as expected, throwing six scoreless innings in Game 1, putting the Tigers in a good position to utilize their pitching depth on Wednesday. Four relievers combined to cover the final three innings in the series opener. Detroit appears to have multiple options to piece together Game 2.

"I love it," Skubal said of the approach. "Those guys have been doing it for the last month and a half. Just mixing and matching, coming in any situation, any scenario. It doesn't matter. Straight from (Triple-A) Toledo right into high-leverage innings. It doesn't matter who's taking the ball. They come in and throw strikes, and I think it makes A.J.'s job enjoyable when we have guys in the bullpen capable of doing that.

"I think it makes it really difficult for the other team as well. There's no rhythm, no flow, you mix up the timing. Give guys different looks, and it's definitely to our advantage."

MK Bower,

PREDICTION
Detroit Tigers
3
5
Houston Astros

Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros Recap OCT 2TH 2024

HOUSTON -- Andy Ibanez produced a pinch-hit, two-out, three-run double in the top of the eighth inning and the Detroit Tigers capped a stunning sweep of their American League wild-card series with a 5-2 comeback victory over the Houston Astros in Game 2 on Wednesday.

With their two-game sweep, the Tigers advanced to the AL Division Series to face the Cleveland Guardians, with Game 1 set for Saturday in Cleveland. Detroit finished 6-7 against the AL Central champions this season.

After Houston scratched across a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to secure a 2-1 lead, the Tigers fashioned a response against Astros reliever Ryan Pressly. Kerry Carpenter and Matt Veirling delivered back-to-back, one-out singles before Pressly (0-1) uncorked a wild pitch that plated Carpenter with the tying run. Pressly departed following his two-out walk to Colt Keith.

The Tigers kept the rally going against Astros closer Josh Hader, who walked Spencer Torkelson to load the bases. Ibanez, hitting for Zach McKinstry, lined a 1-2 sinker into the left field corner to score Vierling, Keith and Torkelson and supply Detroit with a three-run lead.

Six pitchers followed Tigers opener Tyler Horton, with the first three -- Brenan Hanifee, Brant Hurter and Beau Brieske -- combining with Horton to keep the Astros scoreless through six. Sean Guenther (1-0) and Will Vest worked the final 2 2/3 innings, with Vest recording the save with a perfect ninth.

Astros right-hander Hunter Brown was exceptional in his first postseason start. He retired the first five batters he faced and was poised to complete two perfect frames before Jose Altuve threw wide of first base after a routine grounder by Torkelson.

That error cost Brown seven additional pitches in the second and resulted in the first of his two hits allowed, with McKinstry pushing Torkelson to third with his double to left-center. Brown stranded both runners in scoring position to ignite a stretch of nine consecutive batters retired, four via strikeouts. Trey Sweeney ended that run with a two-out walk in the fifth. Brown responded with a strikeout of Jake Rogers.

Brown had 83 pitches on his ledger through five scoreless frames, but his 85th pitch ended his shutout bid. Detroit center fielder Parker Meadows turned on an 0-1 fastball and drove it 358 feet off the right field foul pole. That blast spotted the Tigers a 1-0 lead, and three batters later, Brown departed following a two-out walk of Riley Greene.

Brown worked 5 2/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits with two walks and nine strikeouts, the most by an Astros pitcher making his first postseason start since Mike Scott recorded 14 in Game 1 of the 1986 National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.

The Astros had their streak of seven consecutive ALCS appearances snapped and dropped their seventh consecutive postseason game at Minute Maid Park.

--MK Bower,