Mixed results for Milwaukee Brewers’ Marco Estrada in MLB

The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players.

Marco Estrada (Glendale Community College, 2003) starting pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers: Estrada and Milwaukee are probably glad that May concluded Friday. The Brewers finished the month 6-22 while sinking to the bottom of the National League’s Central Division.

Estrada, a right-hander and a former All-Western State Conference honoree at Glendale Community College, has pitched reasonably well in his last two starts for the Brewers.

Estrada encountered some trouble early in his latest start Wednesday against the host Minnesota Twins before settling down nicely. Estrada surrendered three first-inning runs in a 4-1 defeat. He went seven innings, scattering seven hits and striking out five.

“We’ve all been struggling so you want to go out there and give your team the best chance to win. When you give up three runs in the first inning, it kind of kills you,” Estrada told the Associated Press. “It’s hard to bounce back, especially when the other guy is locked in.”

In his previous appearance May 24, Estrada turned in arguably his best effort of the season. Estrada struck out eight and didn’t allow a walk in seven innings to help Milwaukee earn a 2-1 home win against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Milwaukee Manager Ron Roenicke said Estrada provided the Brewers with a much-needed quality effort.

“He had great location today. His fastball was live. He really located it well,” Roenicke told the Associated Press. “He pitched up when he needed to. He had a good breaking-ball and a good change-up and commanded all of his pitches.”

Estrada didn’t allow a hit until Neil Walker had a two-out bloop single in the fifth inning. Estrada enjoyed a stretch in which he struck out eight of 12 batters.

Estrada is 4-3 with a 4.96 earned-run average in 11 starts. He’s struck out 59 and surrendered 12 home runs in 65 1/3 innings. His next scheduled start is slated for Monday against the visiting Oakland Athletics.

Through Friday, the Brewers are 20-33.

Brandon McCarthy (Glendale native) starting pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks: McCarthy returned to Arlington, Texas, to face the Texas Rangers. The right-hander played for the Rangers for parts of three seasons between 2007-09 before moving to the Oakland Athletics before signing as a free agent last offseason with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

McCarthy had a rough go at it Thursday while toiling on the mound for Arizona against Texas. McCarthy had his shortest outing of the season, losing for the first time since April 26.

He yielded nine hits and six runs (all earned) in just 2 2/3 innings in Arizona’s 9-5 defeat. After throwing 37 of his 55 pitches for strikes, McCarthy saw his earned-run average rise to 7.65 in four appearances at Texas since he left for Oakland.

“I didn’t have any life on my stuff,” McCarthy told the Associated Press. “It was a fight for me. A good lineup hits those pitches. It’s not an easy lineup to get out.”

McCarthy had won his previous two starts, including a solid seven-inning effort in Arizona’s 5-2 home victory against the San Diego Padres on May 24. He allowed one run on five hits and struck out a pair. He also went the distance for the shutout, striking out five and giving up three hits in a 1-0 road win against the Miami Marlins on May 18.

McCarthy is 2-4 with a 5.00 earned-run average in 11 appearances. He’s struck out 39 and walked 10 in 66 2/3 innings.

The Diamondbacks are 30-24 and in first place in the National League’s West Division.