DETROIT -- The Tigers arrived at Comerica Park on Sunday morning with bags at their lockers and the team plane waiting at Metro Airport but without a destination, their American League Wild Card Series matchup pending Sunday afternoon’s results. As Lenyn Sosa’s third-inning drive off Kenta Maeda cleared the left-field fence for a three-run home run and a five-run lead, it became clearer. So did the Tigers’ postseason pitching staff.

The Tigers had one more rally left in them thanks to Kerry Carpenter’s grand slam, but Sunday’s 9-5 loss to the White Sox -- combined with a Royals win in Atlanta -- sent the Tigers to Houston for their first-ever playoff matchup with the Astros.

While manager A.J. Hinch will have the challenge of facing his old club -- the team he managed to a World Series title in 2017 and an AL pennant in 2019 -- he’ll bring a team that had a little more edge to it Sunday despite a second consecutive loss since clinching their first postseason berth in 10 years.

Maeda’s first start since July 9 came with a catch: The longer he pitched, the more difficult his postseason chances would be, at least for a best-of-three Wild Card Series. If his 89 pitches didn’t note his tenuous status, the five White Sox runs off of him did. Three consecutive one-out singles set up a two-run second inning before Sosa’s third-inning drive put the White Sox in command.

Two more Tigers who have served as starters this year, Casey Mize and rookie Keider Montero, followed Maeda in relief in preparation for potential long-relief or bulk roles. Both battled command issues before the White Sox singled home add-on runs after Carpenter’s second career grand slam brought Detroit back into the game.

Carpenter’s 18th home run of the season came after White Sox starter Jonathan Cannon walked the bases full in the fifth inning, beginning with a 10-pitch battle with Spencer Torkelson. The Tigers loaded the bases again with two outs in the eighth off Prelander Berroa, who walked Matt Vierling, Jace Jung and Torkelson to drive in a run, but Enyel De Los Santos retired the potential tying run on a Trey Sweeney comebacker.