Gritty Tigers close out playoff sweep of Astros with 5-2 victory in Game 2 of Wild Card Series

HOUSTON (AP) — 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.

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

Detroit used seven different pitchers a day after pitching Triple Crown winner Tarik Skubal got the win in the series opener. Sean Guenther pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win in Game 2, and Will Vest handled the ninth for the save.

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.

“They did everything right to win the series,” Houston second baseman Jose Altuve said.

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.

“It’s tough,” manager Joe Espada said. “But I want our guys to be proud of how far we’ve come. It was a very challenging season, and we reached the postseason — that’s our goal every year. We win the division, and then play deep into the playoffs. It didn’t happen for us this year, but I want our guys to be proud of their resiliency and how tough this season was."

The AL West champions failed to get the big hits they relied on in the regular season, but manufactured a pair of runs with hustle plays in the seventh.

Mauricio Dubón hit a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. Pinch-hitter Jon Singleton hit a chopper that was fielded by first baseman Torkelson, who threw home from his knees. The throw was in front of the plate and not in time to beat Victor Caratini.

Torkelson, who was given an error on the play, smacked the ground in disgust after Caratini touched home, tying it at 1.

Altuve then hit a flyball that Vierling caught in foul territory in right, but his throw home wasn’t in time to beat the speedy Jeremy Peña.

Houston designated hitter Yordan Alvarez returned for this series after sitting out since spraining his right knee Sept. 22. He had two hits Tuesday, but he went 0 for 3 with a walk in Game 2 while clearly still struggling with the injury.

Asked if he would have played if these were regular-season games, he said: “That's a really good question, I don't know.”

Houston starter Hunter Brown had allowed just one hit on a double in the second when Meadows smacked his home run off the foul pole in right field to start the sixth.

Brown struck out nine in 5 1/3 innings in his eighth postseason game and first start.

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Detroit Tigers' Wenceel Perez, right, celebrates with the team in the clubhouse after defeating the Houston Astros in Game 2 to clinch the AL Wild Card baseball series, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

The Detroit Tigers celebrate in the clubhouse after defeating the Houston Astros in Game 2 to clinch the AL Wild Card baseball series, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers, center, celebrates with the team in the clubhouse after the their 5-2 win against the Houston Astros in Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, center, celebrates his team's 5-2 win against the Houston Astros in Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

The Detroit Tigers pose for a team photo after their 5-2 win against the Houston Astros in Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

The Detroit Tigers celebrate in the clubhouse after defeating the Houston Astros in Game 2 to clinch the AL Wild Card baseball series, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch celebrates with his team in the clubhouse after defeating the Houston Astros in Game 2 to clinch the AL Wild Card baseball series, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

The Detroit Tigers celebrate in the clubhouse after defeating the Houston Astros in Game 2 to clinch the AL Wild Card baseball series, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers (34) and relief pitcher Jackson Jobe (21) work on Jobe's communications device as home plate umpire Jordan Baker (71) looks on in the seventh inning of Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Detroit Tigers third baseman Zach McKinstry (39) and shortstop Trey Sweeney (27) celebrate after completing a double play that off a ground ball by Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz in the sixth inning of Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Houston Astros' Mauricio Dubon celebrates his bunt for a single against the Detroit Tigers in the seventh inning of Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson, center, celebrates in front of umpire Jordan Baker, left, and Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz, right, after Torkelson scored on a bases-clearing double by Andy Ibanez in the eighth inning of Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Houston Astros' Josh Hader throws to the Detroit Tigers in the eighth inning of Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers reaches out for the throw to the plate as Houston Astros' Jeremy Pena, right, scores on a Jose Altuve sacrifice fly in the seventh inning of Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Detroit Tigers' Andy Ibanez follows through on a bases-clearing double against the Houston Astros in the eighth inning of Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Detroit Tigers' Andy Ibanez celebrates his bases-clearing double against the Houston Astros in the eighth inning of Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis police officers who beat Tyre Nichols to death wanted to punish him after he ran from a 2023 traffic stop and thought they could get away with it, a prosecutor said Wednesday during closing arguments in the federal trial of three of the officers.

“They wanted it to be a beatdown. That's what it was,” prosecutor Kathryn Gilbert told jurors in the federal trial of Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith, who are accused of violating Nichols' civil rights and of trying to cover up the beating.

Prosecutors have argued the beating reflected a common police practice known in officer slang as the “street tax” or “run tax.”

Gilbert noted that Emmitt Martin, one of two officers to take a plea deal, testified that Nichols was not a threat when police beat him. She showed the jury a photo of a smiling Nichols wearing a vest, a tie, a white shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and hands in his pockets.

She said the officers laughed and bragged about hitting Nichols, then lied to their supervisor and medical personnel to protect themselves.

“They chose their own comfort and convenience over Mr. Nichols’ life,” she said.

Haley's lawyer, Stephen Leffler, said his client only kicked Nichols once on the arm to help get him handcuffed. He also blamed Martin for falsely suggesting Nichols tried to grab Martin’s weapon at the traffic stop.

“He was affected by that to his detriment, and the detriment of Tyre Nichols,” Leffler said.

Bean's attorney, John Keith Perry, told jurors that Nichols ignored commands such as “give me your hands" and said his client, the youngest of the officers, followed department policies. Perry said Bean did not know whether Nichols had a weapon but still ran after him and tackled him.

“The force was not excessive,” Perry said. “It just wasn’t.”

Bean only hit Nichols in his hands to try to cuff him, Perry said, despite statements made by an FBI agent who testified Bean told him he punched Nichols in the head. Perry noted that the agent’s interview with Bean was not recorded and he questioned the truthfulness of his statements.

Martin Zummach, Smith’s lawyer, said Smith was blinded by pepper spray and did not see Martin and Haley kick Nichols. He only learned about the kicks after an internal affairs interview days after Nichols died. Smith called his supervisor to report that he had learned about the kicks, according to Zummach. Smith also had previously reported that an officer, who no longer works for Memphis police, had hit a handcuffed teenager, Zummach added.

“He does not cover up excessive force,” Zummach said.

Zummach also noted that Smith told EMTs Nichols’ oxygen appeared low, and he blamed Nichols for not allowing the officers to handcuff him.

None of the officers on trial testified in their defense. They each called experts to try to combat prosecutors’ arguments that the officers used excessive force against Nichols, didn’t intervene, and failed to tell their supervisors and medical personnel about the extent of the beating.

Both Martin and the other former officer who pleaded guilty and testified for prosecutors, Desmond Mills, lied to investigators about what happened, said Perry, who warned the jury of playing a “game of changing words and semantics.”

Police video shows five officers, who are all Black, punched, kicked and hit Nichols, who was also Black, about a block from his home as he called out for his mother.

Outside the courthouse, supporters of Nichols' family stood in a circle for a prayer from Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson while holding hands. They ended the prayer with a chant of “Justice for Tyre.” Pearson sat next to Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, in court during the closing arguments, putting his hand on her back and rubbing gently to comfort her.

Nichols died Jan. 10, 2023, three days after the beating. An autopsy report shows Nichols — the father of a boy who is now 7 — died from blows to the head. The report describes brain injuries, and cuts and bruises on his head and elsewhere on his body.

The officers used pepper spray and a Taser on Nichols during the traffic stop, but the 29-year-old ran away, police video shows.

All five officers were fired. They were with the Scorpion Unit, which looked for drugs, illegal guns and violent offenders. It was disbanded after Nichols’ death.

Haley, Bean and Smith pleaded not guilty to federal charges of excessive force, failure to intervene, and obstructing justice through witness tampering. They face up to life in prison if convicted. The jury was expected to begin deliberating Thursday.

The five officers have pleaded not guilty to separate state charges of second-degree murder. A trial date in that case has not been set. Mills and Martin are expected to change their pleas.

Associated Press journalist Jonathan Mattise in Nashville contributed to this report.

RowVaughn Wells, left, mother of Tyre Nichols, prays with Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, right, before entering the federal courthouse for the trial of three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 fatal beating of her son Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

RowVaughn Wells, left, mother of Tyre Nichols, prays with Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, center, enter the federal courthouse for the trial of three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 fatal beating of her son Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

RowVaughn Wells, left, mother of Tyre Nichols, prays with family and friends before entering the federal courthouse for the trial of three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 fatal beating of her son Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Justin Smith, one of three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, arrives at the federal courthouse for the day's proceedings Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tadarrius Bean one of three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, arrives at the federal courthouse for the day's proceedings Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

RowVaughn Wells, left, mother of Tyre Nichols, shouts her son's name with Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, second from right, before entering the federal courthouse for the trial of three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 fatal beating of her son Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Family and friends of Tyre Nichols, pray before entering the federal courthouse for the trial of three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 fatal beating of Nichols, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Friends and family of Tyre Nichols gather to pray before entering the federal courthouse for the trial of three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 fatal beating Nichols, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)