St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery (47) reacts before...

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery (47) reacts before leaving a baseball game during the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, July 7, 2023, in Chicago. Credit: AP/Paul Beaty

CHICAGO — St. Louis Cardinals starter Jordan Montgomery abruptly left Friday night's 8-7 loss to the Chicago White Sox in the fifth inning with an apparent right hamstring injury.

With St. Louis holding a 5-1 lead and with one out and a 2-1 count on White Sox hitter Elvis Andrus, Montgomery tapped the back of his right leg with his glove.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol and trainers went to the mound, and Montgomery left the game, walking slowly to the dugout.

“Hamstring grabbed at him,” Marmol said. “Kind of his foot slipped as he was coming down the mound. We didn’t want him to pitch through it.”

Montgomery said his leg would be imaged on Saturday.

“I just kind of slipped on the mound and I guess my body just tried to catch myself,” the 6-foot-6 lefty said. “It’s just kind of a freak thing.”

JoJo Romero replaced Montgomery and got the final two outs of the inning. Then Chicago went on to rally against Romero and three other Cardinals reliever.

St. Louis Cardinals starter Jordan Montgomery delivers a pitch during...

St. Louis Cardinals starter Jordan Montgomery delivers a pitch during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Chicago White Sox on Friday, July 7, 2023, in Chicago. Credit: AP/Paul Beaty

Montgomery (6-7) was looking for his fifth straight win after seven consecutive losses. The 30-year-old allowed one run on three hits in 4 1/3 innings. He had allowed just a single and a walk though the first four innings.

Jake Burger hit a solo shot of Montgomery in the fifth, then Zach Remillard doubled off Nolan Arenado's glove and down the left field line. Remillard was at second when Montgomery exited.

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