The fans at Comerica Park were thrilled as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Houston Astros and advanced to the playoffs

Detroit — Skylar Brohl screamed, cursed, prayed and paced back and forth Wednesday, cheering one minute and groaning the next until he finally victoriously waved a blue-and-orange Detroit Tigers flag while screaming at the top of his lungs.

“This is the first time I've seen a playoff game and it's crazy, man,” said Brohl, 20, a New Baltimore resident who was part of the crowd at Comerica Park watching the Tigers defeated the Houston Astros 5-0. 2 in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series.

With the win, the Tigers advance to the American League Division Series, which opens Saturday in Cleveland.

The Tigers hosted their second straight watch party on Wednesday. Tickets were $5 and some of the proceeds benefited the Detroit Tigers Foundation. Wednesday's turnout was significantly smaller than the thousands of fans who sat in the rain on Tuesday to watch the Tigers beat the Astros, although Brohl, who came both days, helped raise the decibel level in the ballpark.

“I already have tickets to Game 4 (of the best-of-five ALDS, which will be played on Thursday at Comerica Park),” Brohl said a few minutes after the final was taped. “This team could make it to the end. It has no end in it.”

The last time Detroit was in the playoffs was in 2014. This year's team wasn't expected to make the postseason until it finished the season with a 31-13 run and clinched the final playoff spot in the American League secured.

Sully Tomich of Clarkston, who came to the watch party alone, was also vocal throughout the game, high-fiving strangers and yelling at the scoreboard when he disagreed with the referees' calls.

“I’m so excited,” said the 26-year-old after the end of the game. “This is just unbelievable. I've been to 26 different stadiums – baseball has always been my life. My parents took me to Tiger Stadium when I was a year old and we plan all our family vacations around baseball.”

“This Tiger team reminds me of Detroit itself,” Tomich said. “They've both been down and gone through tough times, but they keep rising because you can't keep them down. It’s so nice to see how this team just never gives up.”

Frances Billingslea also came to the watch party alone, but the 65-year-old Detroit resident said she wasn't alone.

“I saw something on the news about (the event) and wanted to be there,” Billingslea said. “I was sitting among a group of rowdy young men. They were all very nice and we had a great time.”

When Houston scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 2-1 lead, a few dozen people headed for the exits. But the die-hard fans, including Heather and Justin Meade of Madison Heights, stayed until the end.

The Tigers responded quickly early in the eighth, tying the game and then taking the lead for good with a three-run pinch-hit double by Andy Ibañez.

The fans at Comerica Park were thrilled as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Houston Astros and advanced to the playoffs

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The fans at Comerica Park were thrilled as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Houston Astros and advanced to the playoffs

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