Miley reinjures left shoulder in return from IL

NEW YORK -- The Cubs have been snakebit by injuries and Friday was no different in a 2-1 loss in 13 innings to the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

Left-hander Wade Miley, who was activated from the injured list before Friday’s game, held New York scoreless over the first three innings. When he went out for the fourth, Miley threw a few warmup pitches but had to leave the game due to left shoulder soreness.

“When he has taken the bump for us, he has pitched really well,” Cubs manager Davis Ross said. “We have to get him out there more consistently and make sure he is healthy. We like him out there. He gives us a good chance to win.”

Miley was not placed on the injured list after the game, but he will be examined by doctors when the team returns to Chicago after Sunday afternoon’s game against the Yankees.

Miley, who has been on the IL twice this year with left elbow inflammation and a left shoulder strain, said he started feeling pain in the back of the shoulder while he was pitching to Josh Donaldson in the third inning. Donaldson lined out to center fielder Christopher Morel to end that frame.

“I felt something in the back of my shoulder. It’s kind of the same thing I’ve been dealing with,” Miley said. “I felt so good the last two weeks. I threw some aggressive bullpens, gone after it. I felt really well.

“One pitch to Donaldson, I felt a little something back there. I tried to stay consistent in those remaining four or five pitches. In between innings, [the shoulder] calmed down a little bit. I tried to go back out. … The first pitch I threw, [the pain] was there again. Rather than try to push it, I tried to do the smart thing; get it checked out Monday and try to figure out what’s going on.”

Ross suddenly had to use his bullpen. Eight relievers pitched a combined 9 2/3 innings and allowed two runs with 10 strikeouts for the Cubs, who got their lone run on Jason Heyward's first homer of the season in the fifth.

Left-hander Brandon Hughes may have been the most impressive reliever on this night. He pitched the 11th and 12th innings and faced the most dangerous part of the batting order in his final inning. With automatic runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa on second, Hughes struck out DJ LeMahieu. After intentionally walking Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo flied out to right fielder Rafael Ortega and Joey Gallo struck out.

“Hughes went through the meat of it during his last round,” Miley said. “Those are not easy outs. They are a pretty good ballclub. I’m super excited for [Hughes]. It gives him a lot of confidence.”

In the bottom of the 13th with runners on second and third, two outs and right-hander Alec Mills on the mound, Jose Trevino singled to left field, scoring Gallo with the winning run. The Cubs (0-for-18) and the Yankees (1-for-19) combined to go 1-for-37 with runners in scoring position.

“I’m proud of the group. I’m tired of saying that in losing. There is a lot of fight [in the bullpen]. The bullpen did a phenomenal job, the whole crew,” Ross said.

Miley watched the rest of the game in the clubhouse and he was impressed by what he saw from the bullpen.

“It was a great game to watch. It sucks that it came on the losing end. The boys came into battle and it was outstanding,” Miley said. “I’m proud of them for the way we battled. There were a lot of encouraging things.”