ANAHEIM, Calif. — Just as quickly as Torii Hunter jammed a fastball over the center-field wall at Angel Stadium, Charlie Furbush moved on to the next batter.

Ball in his left hand, inside a stadium of 40,000 plus on the Fourth of July, he struck out Bobby Abreau on a 3-2 count to settle in for his first big league start with the Detroit Tigers.

Furbush lost the game, leaving after 4 2/3 innings, team down 3-1 with 65 pitches to his line.

But there on a beautiful California night, was that same loose, laid back way that has led the South Portland lefty from Division III St. Joseph’s all the way to the majors.

“It happened. I’m over it,” Furbush said in the clubhouse. “I’m just a relaxed guy. I didn’t worry about the home run at all.”

Neither did Detroit manager Jim Leyland, who said he thought Furbush had a pretty good start and will increase his pitch count Saturday at Kansas City, his next scheduled start.

“We think we can maybe catch lightning in a bottle,” Leyland said. “I think he’ll be fine. I can’t predict what’s going to happen but he’s definitely a top prospect and getting a chance to pitch.”

Furbush also balked in a runner in the third inning when his cleat got caught in the stretch of his delivery, but regained his command then and each time something went awry.

All told, he gave up three earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts, a walk, a balk and a homer.

He threw 65 pitches, 45 for strikes.

“I’m sure he had some jitters,” Tigers’ catcher Alex Avila said. “But I thought he played pretty good considering it was his first start.”

Furbush was promoted to the starting rotation a week ago Thursday after pitching in middle relief 12 times since his recall May 21 from Triple-A Toledo.

He loves it.

“I like knowing my role as a starter. Sometimes in the bullpen you’ve got to get in for maybe one batter, get the guy out. That’s your job,” Furbush said. “As a starter it’s something over time I’ve gotten used to. You eat up as many innings as you can and give the team a chance to win.”

From their seats along the first base line, Charlie’s dad Craig Furbush, brother Jon Furbush and his girlfriend took it all in.

They were joined by some friends from California, including a marine stationed in the area who was a high school classmate from South Portland.

Furbush walked Hunter on five pitches in the third, but picked him off to end the inning catching him in a rundown.

“Something about his poise and self-confidence was on display (Monday) night,” Craig Furbush said. “You need that to absorb defeat and move on. That cuts really close to the kind of person he is. You can’t teach that.

“It’s just part of who he is. That’s how he was in the seventh grade. He hasn’t changed a bit.”

Teammate Adam Wilk, who spent parts of the last two seasons on minor league teams with Furbush, watched from the bullpen and agreed.

“He threw a lot of strikes and was pitch efficient,” said Wilk. “I thought he did a great job for his first major league start.”

And sometime between a C-17 flyover and post-game fireworks display Furbush’s first major league start was in the books.