'A little better next time': Kochanowicz finding his groove

ANAHEIM -- Rookie right-hander Jack Kochanowicz has started to settle in after two rough starts to open his career and passed a tough test against the Braves with help from his friends.

Kochanowicz allowed two runs over six solid innings and was backed by several impressive defensive plays in a 3-1 loss to the Braves on Sunday at Angel Stadium. After giving up a combined 11 runs over seven innings in his first two starts, Kochanowicz bounced back to surrender a combined four runs in 13 2/3 frames over his last two outings. He was saddled with a tough-luck loss, but it's still progress for the 23-year-old, whom MLB Pipeline ranked as the club’s No. 20 prospect.

“I didn’t have my best feel for my off-speed, but the sinker was working well enough,” said Kochanowicz, who fell to 1-3 with a 6.53 ERA. “It feels great, but I just want to be a little better next time. I don’t want to find it in the first inning. I want it when the game starts. It’s all about trusting my stuff and confidence.”

The 6-foot-7, 228-pounder relied heavily on his power sinker that averaged 96 mph, throwing it 68 times compared to 16 curveballs and just one changeup. He induced six swings and misses but didn't register a strikeout while walking three. But he’s not a strikeout pitcher. He gets quick outs with his sinker, which induced nine grounders, including three huge double plays.

Manager Ron Washington noted that Kochanowicz didn’t have his best stuff, which is why he gave up seven hits and saw a lot of traffic on the bases. But Washington believes this will give him confidence going forward because he knows Kochanowicz can succeed even when his breaking stuff isn’t working.

“That gives him some courage to understand that when he doesn't have his best stuff, he can battle,” Washington said. “That's not a weak lineup over there he had to go through. But he battled without his best stuff.”

Much like right-hander Griffin Canning on Saturday, Kochanowicz ran into trouble early, allowing the first two batters he faced to reach. But unlike Canning, he got Marcell Ozuna to ground into a double play instead of serving up a three-run blast. Kochanowicz, though, couldn’t get out of the inning unscathed, allowing an RBI single to Matt Olson.

Another double play aided him in the third, and it came in a big spot with the bases loaded and one out after Ozuna was intentionally walked. Kochanowicz induced a hard grounder down the line from Olson, but third baseman Brandon Drury made a great diving stop and throw to start a double play.

“I thought we played outstanding defense,” Washington said. “That's why we were in that ballgame, because of the defense. The pitchers making pitches and the guys making plays.”

Kochanowicz induced another inning-ending double play in the fourth after allowing a solo homer to Ramón Laureano. In the fifth, he found himself in another jam with two on and one out and Olson at the plate. But this time, center fielder Mickey Moniak bailed him out with a leaping catch near the wall to rob Olson of extra bases. Kochanowicz then got Laureano to ground out to get out of the inning.

“It was incredible,” Kochanowicz said of the defense. “I can’t say enough about those guys. It fired me up all day long.”

The Angels had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases with nobody out against veteran Charlie Morton. They scored when a pitch hit Mickey Moniak, but Michael Stefanic popped out after he couldn’t get down a squeeze attempt, and Taylor Ward grounded into a double play to quell the scoring threat.

The Angels had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases with nobody out against veteran Charlie Morton. They scored when a pitch hit Mickey Moniak, but Michael Stefanic popped out after he couldn’t get down a squeeze attempt, and Taylor Ward grounded into a double play to quell the scoring threat.

Kochanowicz went back out for the sixth and got through it with a 1-2-3 inning with right fielder Jo Adell making a diving catch to take away a hit from Orlando Arcia for the second out. He was efficient, throwing 85 pitches, but was removed after hurling six mostly stressful frames. While the defense was helpful, the offense was not, with the Angels collecting just three hits.

“We didn’t execute,” Washington said. “Even though we blew the squeeze, we still had the bases loaded and nobody out. We just didn’t execute in certain situations and that was our downfall.”