Bolsinger finds positives in season debut

ANAHEIM — Mike Bolsinger made his season debut Wednesday night, limited to 80 pitches, but it was another pitch limit that ultimately derailed his start and led to a 8-1 loss to the Angels at Angel Stadium.

After a second inning in which Rafael Ortega reached third — not the last time an Angel would do so — Bolsinger abandoned his fastball and used almost only his slider.

“I think the only thing that was working for me was my slider,” Bolsinger said after allowing three runs in 4 1/3 innings. “After the second inning, I think I threw four fastballs the rest of the game. Every pitch was a slider. I was working off one pitch.”

The adjustment didn’t create smooth sailing from there, though, as an Angels hitter reached third base in all five innings that Bolsinger pitched. It definitely could have been worse for the right-hander, as threats in the second and fourth were nullified by three popouts and a strikeout of the Angels’ Nos. 8 and 9 hitters, Carlos Perez and Brendan Ryan.

Bolsinger had trouble …

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