Brubaker, Underwood Jr. leave with injuries
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Pirates right-handers JT Brubaker and Duane Underwood Jr. left Saturday's 7-6 loss to the Cubs with what the team called right shoulder discomfort.
Brubaker, who was activated from the injured list to make the start, had been dealing during his first three innings at Wrigley Field. He struck out five batters and didn't allow a run before giving up a double to Ian Happ and walking Willson Contreras to start the fourth. Wincing after a pitch, Brubaker was met by the training staff and removed from the game early. Left-hander Sam Howard came on to replace him.
“He was having problems with extension,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said about Brubaker.
Brubaker said it’s tough to get injured during his first start back from the injured list.
“I was keeping the same mentality, one pitch at a time and everything was going good and then I just came out of the game,” Brubaker said.
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Underwood's injury occurred in the sixth inning. After walking Patrick Wisdom to start the frame, he threw one pitch -- a ball -- to Matt Duffy, before expressing some discomfort and leaving with the training staff.
“With Underwood, the way he described, it was just tightness,” Shelton said. “When both those [injuries] come out with both players, you have to get them out of the game. It’s unfortunate that it happened. We got them out when we could.”