top-down raglan: picking up underarm stitches question

[3boobykins]

I'm knitting my 5th top-down raglan, so I am not new to this design. I've always had a hard time with picking up the underarm stitches, though, when beginning the sleeves. The pattern says to pick up a total of two (with a marker between for decreases). I've done this twice, both times I have a good-sized hole in the corner of the armpit, and it just looks messy overall. In the past I've picked up a couple extra stitches to fill the gaps, then knit them together the next round so my sleeve won't be too wide at the top. I can't seem to avoid holes and gaps with picking up only two stitches.

Does this sound right? Any other ideas? Should I pick up extra stitches and knit them together, or just begin my decreases a couple rows earlier and then proceed with the pattern?

TIA!

[flapjack]

I think the solution is to pick up four (2 x 2) and then decrease on the next row, but I'd agree it's unsatisfactory. The other alternative, which might be neater, would be to exclude the last set of increases on the arm and to pick up four.

[3boobykins]

Thank you!