MLB PLAYER NEWS

Bolsinger shows grit in pitching through illness

The Sports Xchange

June 30, 2015 at 12:41 am.

Mike Bolsinger had a gutsy effort against Arizona on Monday night. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

PHOENIX — Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Mike Bolsinger was in complete command Monday, and the only thing that could stop him was the illness that forced him out of the game in the fifth inning.

Bolsinger gave up three singles, two of which did not get out of the infield, and struck out four before being removed with the Dodgers holding a 4-0 lead over Arizona.

The Diamondbacks tied the game on two-run homers by Nick Ahmed and Yasmany Tomas and rallied for a 10-6 victory, pounding six Los Angeles relievers.

Bolsinger actually gave the Dodgers more than they expected, as he felt sick the whole game.

“It started (Sunday) in Miami,” Bolsinger said. “I got IVed up there that morning because I was throwing up. It carried on before the game today. About 30 minutes, an hour before the game, I started feeling really bad. It was kind of getting worse and worse as the game kept going on. I was down in the little pit behind the dugout just kind of sitting there with the trainers trying to keep cold because my body kept getting hot.

“I think it is more eating something bad. I don’t think I have the flu. I guess that will teach me to eat oysters again.”

Bolsinger did not look sick. He recorded three of his four strikeouts with his curveball, his signature pitch, and did not walk a batter.

Bolsinger made nine starts for the Diamondbacks as a rookie last season, recalled in April equipped with what then-general manager Kevin Towers said was the best curveball in the organization.

Bolsinger caught Mattingly’s eye last year, when he threw three scoreless innings against the Dodgers in his second career start before being hit around in the fourth and fifth innings.

“You kind of notice the breaking ball,” Mattingly said. “That’s one thing that stands out, the breaking ball, the big bite. It’s his bread and butter. When he is getting that over and is able to get ahead in the count, he can use it in different ways.”

In two starts against Arizona this season, Bolsinger has given up two runs and six hits in 11 innings. He is 4-2 with a 2.76 ERA in 11 starts this season. Only Zack Greinke (1.58) has a better ERA among Dodgers’ starters. Clayton Kershaw’s is 3.20 in 16 starts.

Purchased from Arizona in November to add organizational starting depth, Bolsinger is making an impact while helping the Dodgers overcome season-ending injuries to starters Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Bolsinger was “a guy who has pitched in the big leagues and if we had injuries would be guy who could fill in,” Mattingly said.

Regarding Bolsinger’s Monday outing, Mattingly said, “Early on, we worried about him getting though the first inning. To be honest with you, we didn’t know what we were going to get. Each inning was kind of its own adventure. He was cramping up in the fourth. He really kind of battled his way though those. He gave us more than we thought we would get.”