Zach Neto hit a two-run home run, Jack Kochanowicz tossed six strong innings and the visiting Los Angeles Angels snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday afternoon.
Kochanowicz (2-3) gave up five hits and didn’t issue a walk with four strikeouts. Ben Joyce got the last four outs for his third save.
Mickey Moniak added two hits for Los Angeles and drove in a run.
Zach McKinstry had three hits for the Tigers, who had their six-game winning streak snapped. Detroit left 10 runners on base. Tigers starter Keider Montero (4-6) gave up three runs and five hits in five innings.
Michael Stefanic and Taylor Ward drew back-to-back walks for the Angels in the third inning. Montero escaped the jam when Neto bounced into a fielder’s choice and Nolan Schanuel flied out.
Detroit also threatened in the inning. McKinstry led off with a double and Trey Sweeney was hit by a pitch. Dillon Dingler then bounced into a double play and Parker Meadows struck out looking.
Los Angeles grabbed the lead in the fourth inning. Anthony Rendon walked and scored on Moniak’s double to right. Moniak was thrown out trying to advance to third.
The Tigers’ Jace Jung had a two-out double in the bottom of the inning. Colt Keith grounded out to leave him stranded.
The Angels made it 3-0 in the fifth. Niko Kavadas led off with a single and scored on Neto’s two-out homer. Neto’s 20th long ball of the season cleared the left-center field wall. Neto is the first infielder in Angels history with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a single season.
Meadows and Kerry Carpenter had back-to-back singles in the sixth, but Detroit came up empty. Riley Greene flied out and Jung grounded into a double play.
The Tigers had runners on the corners in the seventh, as Spencer Torkelson was hit by a pitch and Sweeney had a two-out single. Dingler hit into a force play to end the threat.
The Tigers loaded the bases in the eighth on two walks and a single. Joyce entered the game and struck out Torkelson.
–Field Level Media
