White Sox shut out for the ninth time this season, lose fourth straight
ST. LOUIS — Nolan Arenado drove in three runs, Sonny Gray gave up three hits in seven innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the White Sox 3-0 on Friday night.
Gray (4-1) walked one and struck out five in his longest outing of the season as the Cardinals snapped a two-game losing streak. Gray retired the last eight and 13 of the final 14 batters he faced.
Gray said he needed to reset after pitching out of a two-out jam in the third inning.
“I’ve done this before, but I just came in here (the locker room) after the third, took all my clothes off and got redressed with new cleats, socks, underwear, pants, belt, jersey, hat,” Gray said. “It’s kind of like, you’re a new guy, let’s get started here.”
Gray lowered his ERA to 0.89 this season. He is the first pitcher in St. Louis franchise history to have a sub-1.00 ERA through his first five starts with the team since 1910.
“Can’t say enough about the way he prepares and his ability to execute,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “Just does a phenomenal job … he has a purpose behind every single pitch.”
The White Sox lost their fourth game in a row. It was the ninth time they were shut out this season.
JoJo Romero pitched a perfect eighth and Ryan Helsley retired all three batters he faced in the ninth to earn his 11th save in 12 opportunities.
Arenado’s two-run double gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in the first inning. It was Arenado’s first multi-RBI game since April 21.
He doubled again in the fifth to score Willson Contreras and make it 3-0. The hit knocked White Sox starter Brad Keller from the game.
“He’s starting to feel a lot better about his swing,” Marmol said. “That was a really good one there (in the first), drove in another one later in the game for insurance.”
Contreras had three hits, walked, stole a base and scored twice. But Gray said it was his work behind the plate that stood out.
“I felt I was getting a little open, a little pulley, and he kept giving me the cues that I needed,” Gray said. “And I was just working hard to fix it and make an adjustment. I would say after the third inning, I felt significantly better.”
Contreras called Gray’s stuff nasty.
“That’s what I’m here for, to be better for the guys and the pitching staff and I’m glad that what I said helped him,” Contreras said.
Keller (0-1) allowed three runs in 4⅔ innings. He gave up five hits, walked two and struck out five.
“I battled the whole night,” Keller said. “I felt like I always had someone on base, which sucked, want to clean that up, but all in all felt good. One to build on.”
Jared Shuster pitched 3⅓ innings of scoreless relief for the White Sox.