CHICAGO (AP) - St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Chris Carpenter was forced to leave Sunday night's game against the Chicago Cubs in the sixth inning with a strained right triceps, and said the problem was not in his surgically repaired elbow.
After Carpenter delivered a second pitch to Jim Edmonds with one out, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and a trainer went to the mound. After a brief conversation, Carpenter was removed and Ron Villone came on to pitch, getting as much time as needed to warm up."I threw that first pitch to Jimmy and I felt something down my triceps. I tried to throw the next pitch and felt it again. So I decided to make the call," Carpenter said after the Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-2.
"As of right now, I think it's just a slight triceps strain, but we're going to wait and see what happens the next two days. I was able to do all of my exercises after this, all my rotator cuff exercises. It's not sore."
Chicago had scored a run in the sixth for a 2-0 lead against Carpenter and had two runners on when he left.
Carpenter was making just his third start since elbow ligament replacement surgery in July 2007. But he said this injury was not related.
"I knew it wasn't right so I didn't want to push it," he said. "I felt it come down my triceps. The elbow feels fine."
Carpenter will accompany the Cardinals on their trip to Florida, beginning Monday. He said he hopes to be able to throw on the side Tuesday.
