DETROIT (AP) — Zach Neto homered, rookie Jack Kochanowicz pitched six shutout innings and the Los Angeles Angels ended a seven-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.
“Jack is holding up his end of the deal and we’re making plays behind him,” Neto said.
Los Angeles had lost 12 of 14 and were 1-8 going into the last game of their road trip. Detroit had won six straight, but left 10 runners on base.
“We had a lot of opportunities, especially late, but we didn’t string at-bats together,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said.
Kochanowicz (2-3) was spectacular in his sixth major-league start, allowing five hits in six innings. He struck out four without walking a batter. He is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA since rejoining the rotation on Aug. 11.
“I’m so proud of this kid, because his first two outings in July weren’t nice, but the last four have gotten the job done,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “He’s learning how to use his sinker and what part of the plate he needs to put it.”
Three Angels relievers finished, with Ben Joyce getting the final four outs for his third save.
Tigers starter Keider Montero (4-6) allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in five innings.
The Angels took a 1-0 lead on Mickey Moniak’s RBI double in the fourth, but he was thrown out trying for third.
Neto made it 3-0 in the fifth with a two-run homer — his 20th of the season. He is the first Angels infielder with a 20-homer, 20-steal season.
“It means the world — I dreamed about this as a kid, and now I’ve done it,” he said. “It’s been a grind for the last few days, but I was finally able to put a good swing on a ball and get it out of the park.”
Neto came into the game in a 3-26 (.115) slump since hitting his 19th homer.
“He saw a pitch and reacted to it,” Washington said. “I’m very happy for him, and now, instead of chasing a number, we can chase some more wins.”
Detroit had runners on the corners with one out in the sixth, but Kochanowicz got Jace Jung to hit into a 4-6-3 double play.
“That’s what he does,” Hinch said. “He’s got a huge groundball rate off huge sinker usage. He has a combo of velocity and movement and we couldn’t handle either today.”
Tigers reliever Joey Wentz had a tough seventh, getting hit by two hard comebackers in a span of three pitches. With two out, Mike Stefanic hit a 95-mph hopper up the middle that bounced off Wentz’s pitching wrist for an infield single.
Wentz stayed in the game after throwing some warmup pitches, but Ward hit a 96-mph grounder off Wentz’s shin that knocked him to the ground. Dillon Dingler fielded the carom and got the out at first — a 1-2-3 putout — and Wentz was able to walk off the field after more attention from the Tigers training staff. Will Vest replaced him for the eighth.
The Tigers got runners on the corners again with two out in the seventh, but Roansy Contreras got Dingler to ground into a force at second.
Detroit then loaded the bases with two out against José Quijada in the eighth, but Joyce came out of the bullpen to strike out Spencer Torkelson.
UP NEXT
The Angels return home for a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners. LHP Samuel Aldegheri will make his major-league debut in Friday’s opener against RHP George Kirby (9-10, 3.48).
Detroit remains home for three games with the Boston Red Sox. RHP Tanner Houck (8-9, 3.23) will start for Boston on Friday, while the Tigers are expected to activate RHP Casey Mize (2-6, 4.23) from the 60-day injured list.
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