Major League Baseball Update: Estrada pitching well despite lack of wins

The following are updates on local Major League Baseball players.

Marco Estrada (Glendale Community College, 2003) Toronto Blue Jays pitcher: Estrada and the Blue Jays are trying to regain their form from last season. Estrada, a former All-Western State Conference selection who helped Toronto win the American League East Division title and advance to the championship series last season, looked sharp in his latest outing Thursday against the host Minnesota Twins.

Though he didn’t factor into the decision, the right-hander allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits over eight innings and struck out nine in Toronto’s 3-2 victory in 10 innings. He held the Twins without a hit from the fourth inning through the eighth. Estrada has just one win in his first nine starts after beginning the season on the disabled list. He’s become notorious for good outings that don’t factor in a decision as he’s pitched six innings or more in all but one of his eight starts and given up two or less runs in five outings.

“I don’t know what it was early on, I didn’t feel great out there,” Estrada told mlb.com. “The more I threw the ball, the better I felt. I think, probably by the third inning, I felt much better out there and obviously threw the ball a lot better. I’ve just got to make sure I go out there and I’m ready to go by the first inning. Can’t keep doing stuff like that. Next time, one or two runs, that might not be all that happens to me.”

Estrada, a Long Beach State product, encountered a shaky start in his previous appearance on the road against the Texas Rangers on May 14. He went six innings, yielding five runs (four earned) on five hits in a 6-5 defeat in 10 innings. Estrada struck out five and walked four and was in line to take the loss before the Blue Jays rallied for three runs in the ninth.

One of Estrada’s best performances of the season came May 8 against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. Estrada struck out eight and gave up just one run in Toronto’s 4-2 defeat. Estrada held Los Angeles hitless through the first five innings.

In eight appearances, Estrada is 1-2 with a 2.61 earned-run average. He’s struck out 50, walked 19 and allowed just four home runs in 51 2/3 innings. Estrada has given up 17 runs (15 earned) and 35 hits.

Toronto was 20-23 and in fourth place entering Friday’s game against Minnesota.

Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) Colorado Rockies pitcher: The Glendale native suffered a reported strained left oblique on Thursday while working in relief against the host St. Louis Cardinals. Bergman, a former All-Area Baseball Player of the Year, gave up one run and two hits in 2/3 inning in Colorado’s 13-7 loss. It was Bergman’s first appearance since tossing two innings May 10 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at home.

He might be placed on the 15-day disabled list.

“I couldn’t get anything to my glove side and it was really pretty painful,” Bergman told mlb.com. “My hope was to get through the inning so we didn’t have to get another guy loose; just find a way through it. Hopefully, it didn’t make it any worse, but I don’t know.”

On the bright side, the right-hander picked up his first win May 5 against the San Francisco Giants on the road. Bergman came out of the bullpen to toss 2 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out three in Colorado’s 17-7 victory.

In nine appearances, Bergman is 1-3 with a 5.89 earned-run average. He’s struck out 19, walked four and allowed 12 runs on 25 hits in 18 1/3 innings.

Colorado was 20-20 and in third place in the National League’s West Division going into Friday’s game against the host Pittsburgh Pirates.

Cesar Ramos (La Crescenta resident) Texas Rangers pitcher: Ramos might have been a footnote during his last appearance Sunday at home against the Toronto Blue Jays. The left-hander, who began the season in the minor leagues, went 4 1/3 innings and didn’t receive a decision in Texas’ 7-6 win in a game that featured a brawl. Ramos, who pitched in relief last season for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim before signing a minor league contract with Texas, surrendered one run on seven hits and struck out four.

In the eighth inning, Toronto’s Jose Bautista was hit by a pitch. Bautista then slid in hard to Texas second baseman Rougned Odor at second base while trying to break up a possible double play. Odor connected with a punch against Bautista’s jaw, setting off a brawl in short right field that led to six ejections. Odor and Bautista were consequently suspended, pending appeals. Odor received an eight-game suspension and Bautista got one game.

Ramos, who is scheduled to start Saturday against the host Houston Astros, is 0-2 with a 4.32 earned-run average in four starts. The Long Beach State product has struck out 11 and walked eight and given up eight runs (all earned) on 22 hits in 16 2/3 innings.

Texas was 22-19 and in second place in the American League’s West Division entering Friday’s game against Houston.