Major League Update: Estrada keeping up pace with Toronto Blue Jays

The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players.

Marco Estrada (Glendale Community College, 2003) Toronto Blue Jays pitcher: Looking to end a three-game losing streak, Toronto turned to likely its most consistent starting pitcher of late in right-hander Marco Estrada. Estrada, a former All-Western State Conference selection with Glendale college, had the tough task of trying to cool down the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.

Estrada, who was acquired in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers during the offseason, completed the task on his 32nd birthday. Estrada went five innings, surrendering two runs (both earned) and five hits, in Toronto’s 10-5 road win. He struck out three and walked one in winning for the fifth time in his last seven starts.

“It is always great to get a win, but today was even better because it is my birthday,” Estrada told the Associated Press. “The guys got me a nice present by putting up 10 runs.”

Estrada threw 101 pitches, 64 for strikes. He faced 21 batters, getting 11 flyouts against a Detroit squad that had scored 16 runs in the first two games of the three-game series.

“I thought Marco did a nice job,” Toronto Manager John Gibbons told the Toronto Sun. “I thought he started running out of gas there [in the fifth], it was kind of a humid day. But he held them in check and the big outburst made a huge difference and we added a couple of insurance runs, which were big.”

Estrada will have another tough assignment at hand when he makes his next start Friday against the host Kansas City Royals, who are the defending American League champions.

In 18 appearances this season with Toronto (44-44 through Thursday), including 12 starts, Estrada is 6-4 with a 3.59 earned-run average. He’s struck out 67, walked 28 and given up 10 home runs in 80 1/3 innings.

Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) Colorado Rockies pitcher: It’s been an unusual last several weeks for Bergman, a former All-Area Baseball Player of the Year honoree. After beginning the season with the Rockies, mostly coming out of the bullpen, Bergman was assigned to the triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes in early June. The right-hander made one appearance with the Isotopes before being called back up by the Rockies.

After rejoining the Rockies, the Glendale native made six relief appearances before going on the 15-day disabled list June 30 with right-shoulder fatigue. It wasn’t clear when Bergman, 27, would return to the Rockies, though he won’t return until after the All-Star Game on Tuesday in Cincinnati.

Colorado Manager Walt Weiss said the inflammation in Bergman’s shoulder wasn’t considered serious.

“We’re going to give him some time to heal up,” Weiss told the Denver Post.

Before heading to the disabled list for the second time in his career, Bergman encountered two consecutive two-inning appearances. He allowed a run in both outings. His last appearance came June 28 on the road against the San Francisco Giants. He yielded a home run to Madison Bumgarner in the seventh inning, but didn’t factor into the decision in Colorado’s 6-3 defeat.

In 19 appearances with the Rockies, Bergman is 2-0 with a 4.66 earned-run average. In 38 2/3 innings, he’s struck out 25, walked eight and allowed four home runs. He’s yielded 20 runs (all earned) and 48 hits.

The Rockies were 35-49 entering Thursday’s home game against the Atlanta Braves.

Cesar Ramos (La Crescenta resident) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher: Ramos, a left-handed specialist who was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays during the offseason, has helped the red-hot Angels of late. Ramos pitch 1/3 of an inning Wednesday in the Angels’ 3-2 victory against the host Colorado Rockies. It came in a big spot, as Ramos got Charlie Blackmon to line out to shortstop with a runner on third to end the sixth inning with the Rockies holding on to a 2-1 lead.

Ramos, 31, also pitched a scoreless inning Saturday in the Angels’ 13-0 road victory against the Texas Rangers. He struck out two and walked two while pitching the eighth inning.

In 33 appearances — all in relief — Ramos is 2-0 with a 1.85 earned-run average. He’s struck out 18 and walked five in 24 1/3 innings.

Through Thursday, the Angels are 46-38 and in second place in the American League West Division behind the Houston Astros. They came into Thursday’s game against the host Seattle Mariners having won nine of 10 games.