Roy Halladay exits with shoulder injury

Just when the underachieving, injury-plagued Phillies appeared to be turning a corner, winning four in a row including three straight over the defending World Champion Cardinals, what may have been the most ominous cloud of the season swept into St. Louis.

Roy Halladay left his start Sunday after two innings. 

The Phillies said Halladay was removed as a precaution due to right shoulder soreness. the two-time Cy Young Award winner and ace of the team's starting-pitching rich staff will be re-evaluated in the next couple of days. No MRI is currently scheduled.

After his most recent start prior to Sunday, a a 5-2 defeat to Washington at Citizens Bank Park, Halladay was asked if he was healthy. He half-laughed and said, "Yeah" twice.

Halladay gave up five runs on nine hits in six innings that night.

Halladay's exit Sunday was curious because it came after throwing a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 second inning against the Cardinals. But his second inning was preceded by a first inning that was like at least a few of the games he's pitched this season: very un-Halladay-like.

Halladay gave up a two-out grand slam to Yadier Molina to fall into a 4-0 hole in the game's first inning. Before Molina's slam, the second slam Halladay has surrendered this season, Halladay issued a two-out walk to David Freese and back-to-back, one-out singles to Skip Schumaker and Matt Holliday.

Halladay has a 3.98 ERA in 11 games this season. He allowed four runs or more in three of his last six starts.

Halladay has a 6.11 ERA this month.