Hader, Astros Trolled by Fans After Being Swept Out of MLB Playoff Bracket by Tigers

For the first time since 2005, the Houston Astros have been swept out of the MLB playoffs.

The American League West champions fell 5-2 to the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series.

After their offense mustered little for the second day in a row, the Astros briefly turned the game on its head in the seventh inning.

With the bases loaded and nobody out, pinch hitter Jon Singleton grounded to first and Spencer Torkelson was unable to make a clean throw home, which allowed Victor Caratini to score. Then Jeremy Peña took advantage of Matt Vierling's brief moment of hesitation while fielding a fly ball to tag up from third to give Houston a 2-1 lead.

Minute Maid Park was rocking and some fans might've been making their plans for Game 3 on Thursday. It didn't take long for the good vibes to fade.

Detroit tied it up on a wild pitch by Ryan Pressly in the top of the eighth. Then with the bases loaded and two outs, Andy Ibáñez hit a three-run double down the left-field line.

It was a stunning turn for the Astros, who have remained so poised in the postseason over the last decade. That Josh Hader, Houston's big offseason signing, allowed the pivotal hit was all the more surprising—or maddening depending on your perspective.

Sean Guenther pitched a 1-2-3 eighth for the Tigers and Will Vest completed the save in the ninth. And just like that, Houston's dynastic run may be drawing to a close.

The Astros gained their fair share of detractors over the years, so the schadenfreude from Wednesday's loss was palpable.

The Astros now embark on an uncertain future.

As much as Houston defied the skeptics who said it was no longer a contender, the franchise's long-term outlook hasn't changed all that much. Alex Bregman and Justin Verlander are headed for free agency. Jose Altuve will turn 35 next May. The intrigue surrounding the front office could again return to the fore as general manager Dana Brown weighs what to do with Bregman and Verlander along with any outside targets.

This postseason carried a higher level of urgency for the Astros compared to the past few years. Going from World Series champions to losing in the ALCS and then getting swept in the Wild Card Series certainly matches the trajectory of a dynasty in decline.