Former Glendale Community College pitcher Marco Estrada sharp again in victory

The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players.

Marco Estrada (Glendale Community College, 2003) starting pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers: It’s been a season to forget for the Milwaukee Brewers, who are 52-68 and have been in last place throughout the bulk of the season in the National League Central Division.

Estrada, a former All-Western State Conference pick, spent about two months on the disabled list with a back injury and is looking to finish off the season on a positive note.

Since returning recently from the disabled list, Estrada has provided the Brewers with some positive news by winning his last two appearances

Estrada turned in arguably his best effort of the season Tuesday in Milwaukee’s 5-1 road victory against the red-hot Texas Rangers. Estrada went six innings and allowed one run and struck out two while facing 22 batters in snapping Texas’ eight-game winning streak.

“Overall, I can’t complain about this,” Estrada told mlb.com. “I kept the team in the game and we pulled it off. It’s a confidence booster.

“I know [Texas is] a very good hitting team, and when somebody gets on you don’t try to be perfect, you just try to keep the ball down and low and just make your pitches.”

Earlier, the right-hander provided the Brewers with a boost. He went five innings in his return to the mound Aug. 7 against the host San Francisco Giants, but didn’t factor into the decision in Milwaukee’s 6-1 victory.

Estrada gave up just one hit and struck out six in a 76-pitch effort.

Estrada, fresh off a pair of rehab starts, had a limited pitch count. He set down his last 14 batters and 15 of 16 overall.

“His command was outstanding,” Milwaukee Manager Ron Roenicke told the Associated Press. “He kept his curve down in the zone, and his fastball had life to it. For him, coming back after two starts and throwing only 2 2/3 innings, I thought it was really good.”

In 14 appearances, Estrada is 5-4 with a 4.71 earned-run average. In 80 1/3 innings, Estrada has struck out 70 and walked 18.

Brandon McCarthy (Glendale native) starting pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks: McCarthy, who was signed as a free agent by the Diamondbacks during the offseason, recorded a quality start Saturday against the visiting New York Mets. Unfortunately for McCarthy, Arizona couldn’t provide enough offensive support in a 4-1 defeat.

Since the right-hander returned from the disabled list Aug. 4 following a couple of months on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation, the Diamondbacks have scored just one run in McCarthy’s last two appearances.

McCarthy surrendered two runs and struck out four in seven innings against the Mets.

“I felt pretty good,” McCarthy told the Associated Press. “The few pitches that I would like to have back, but overall I felt that I did a good job of commanding the ball and kind of moving them around.”

In his previous start Aug. 4 against the host Boston Red Sox, McCarthy lasted 4 1/3 innings. He yielded two runs and five hits and struck out five in a 4-0 defeat. He made 97 pitches in each start.

McCarthy has lost three decisions in a row, and last won May 24 against the San Diego Padres.

In two rehab appearances with the triple-A Reno Aces, McCarthy didn’t have a decision and had a 6.97 earned-run average.

With the most recent surge by the Los Angeles Dodgers that’s vaulted it into first place in the National League’s West Division, the Diamondbacks (62-57) are now in second place.

McCarthy, who is next scheduled to pitch Friday against the host Pittsburgh Pirates, is 2-6 with a 4.73 ERA and has struck out 48 in 13 starts. He’s allowed 43 runs (41 earned) and given up 96 hits in 78 innings.