Royals get stellar start from Jackson Kowar in Cactus League win over the Rockies
.jpg "Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Jackson Kowar throws against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training baseball game Friday, March 6, 2020, in Surprise, Ariz. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)")
Kansas City Royals right-handed pitching prospect Jackson Kowar threw his second scoreless outing of Cactus League play Sunday.
Kowar pitched three scoreless innings, allowed three hits and struck out two in the Royals’ 6-1 win over the Colorado Rockies at Surprise Stadium in Arizona. Jorge Soler clobbered a 484-foot home run, while Ryan O’Hearn and Jarrod Dyson each belted triples for the Royals (13-6-2).
Ranked the No. 95 prospect in the sport by Baseball America, Kowar has allowed one run, five hits and one walk in his last two appearances (five innings).
“His fastball was up there, high 90s,” Royals catcher Cam Gallagher said of Kowar. “He was locating it, which was even better. His curveball is pretty good. His changeup is a plus pitch, and he had it working today. Just getting ahead of guys and putting them away and giving our offense a chance to put up some runs.”
Kowar worked around a two-out double in the second inning as well as a two-out double in the third.
“He’s had a couple outings now where I think it’s showing who he can be,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “His changeup we know about, and the Rockies know about it too. He got them into some tough counts. You have that good kind of velocity and that good of a changeup, if you’re controlling the strike zone at all with your fastball you’re going to have success. That’s what he did.”
Matheny praised the development of Kowar’s curveball.
“That pitch has come a long way, especially in a year’s time,” Matheny said. “It was impressive.”
Clap for Cam
Gallagher had a solid day behind the plate as well as in the batter’s box. Gallagher hit the trifecta by having driven a run on a sacrifice bunt, another on a double that one-hopped off the wall in left field, and he also caught six scoreless innings.
Gallagher, the Royals’ backup catcher behind Salvador Perez, has batted .304 this spring. Perez and the club announced a franchise-record four-year extension prior to the game.
“The hits are nice, but just going out there and having the pitchers throwing like they did, handling them pretty well — a shutout is always a good stat for a catcher,” Gallagher said. “Especially when you’re not playing everyday, backing up Salvy.
“When you get your time to get in there and play, defense, calling a game, getting those starters through six, seven innings and then shutting down with the bullpen, that’s obviously my main priority. The pitchers threw real well today, all of them.”
Gallagher, 28, has caught 105 games in the majors since his debut in 2017. He has a career slash line of .241/.308/.368.
He said he’s made changes behind the plate to his setup in an attempt to find a position that allows him to block pitches in the dirt, get strike calls on low pitches and improve his catch and throw efficiency.
Matheny on Salvy
While general manager Dayton Moore spoke during a press conference prior to Sunday’s game about the Perez extension, Matheny spoke with reporters following the game.
A former major-league catcher for 13 years and a four-time Gold Glove award winner, Matheny sang the praises of Perez and the front office for reaching a contract extension.
“There’s some special players, obviously, with their talent, but there are some that have that unique connection a community and with an organization,” Matheny said. “Salvy certainly fits that. ... I’m just grateful to Mr. Sherman and our ownership group and Dayton for figuring out how to have a player like this stick around.
“Obviously, a lot has been said. I don’t think even enough (has been said) of what this guy means to this clubhouse, means to this team. You sense his presence, and you sense the lack of even on days in spring training when he’s not in there. There’s just an energy and a life and a passion for the game that he just carries with him in everything he does. You mix that with a very unique talent and you have something very special.”
On the back fields
The Royals and Rangers played a “B” game Sunday morning on George Brett Field at the complex in Surprise.
Royals right-handed pitcher Brad Keller pitched five innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits without a walk. He did hit a batter, and struck out four. Keller, announced as the club’s Opening Day starter on Saturday, faced 24 batters in five innings.
Clay Dungan homered for the Royals, while Emmanuel Rivera, Jeison Guzmán and Lucius Fox hit doubles. Nick Heath and Nick Loftin registered stolen bases.
