Arenado drives in 3 and Gray pitches seven innings as the Cardinals beat the White Sox 3-0

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nolan Arenado drove in three runs, Sonny Gray gave up three hits in seven innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago 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 4 2/3 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 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the White Sox.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: INF Danny Mendick was scratched from the lineup due to lower back tightness.

Cardinals: LHP Steven Matz (lower back strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to May 1 and RHP Kyle Leahy was recalled from Triple-A Memphis.

UP NEXT

RHP Lance Lynn (1-0, 2.64 ERA) will start for the Cardinals against RHP Erick Fedde (2-0, 2.60 ERA) on Saturday. Lynn, who pitched for the White Sox from 2001-03, is making his 10th career start against Chicago but first since 2019 as a member of the Texas Rangers. Fedde is coming off a career-high 8 1/3 innings in his last outing against Tampa Bay on Sunday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

St. Louis Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar makes a catch against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Brad Keller delivers against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray delivers against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado (28) run the bases after hitting a two-run double against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar makes a catch against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Brad Keller delivers against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray delivers against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado (28) run the bases after hitting a two-run double against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 3, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

DENVER (AP) — Matt Duchene scored at 11:42 of the second overtime after being involved in a play that led to a goal disallowed for goaltender interference in the first extra period, and the Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference final with a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 6 on Friday night.

Duchene, a former draft pick of the Avalanche, secured a loose puck in front of the net and sent it over a sprawled out Alexandar Georgiev. Duchene took off down the ice and slid on his knees in celebration.

Dallas advances to face either Edmonton or Vancouver next. It’s the second straight trip to the conference final for the Stars, who lost last season to eventual Stanley Cup champion Vegas. The Stars won their only Stanley Cup title in 1999.

Jamie Benn tied the game at 1:56 of the third period. Mason Marchment thought he scored the winner with 7:29 left in the first overtime but it was waved off for goaltender interference. The play was reviewed and the call on the ice stood. Duchene was jostling with Cale Makar in front of Georgiev, leading to a call. The NHL’s situation room explained that Duchene impaired Georgiev’s ability to play his position in the crease.

Jake Oettinger was stellar all night in making 29 saves. One of his biggest was a close-range shot from Artturi Lehkonen down low midway through the second OT.

This was a series in which the road team won five of six games, including the Stars taking all three in Denver. The Avalanche were the top home team in the regular season, while the Stars had the best road record.

Dallas joins Florida and the New York Rangers as teams that closed out a second-round series in six games. It’s just the third postseason to have three Round 2 matchups decided in six games (1999 and 2004).

It was a tumultuous postseason for Colorado, with Valeri Nichushkin suspended before Game 4 for violating terms of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

Colorado scored the opening goal of the game for the first time in the series when Mikko Rantanen sent a wrist shot over Oettinger early in the second period on a power play.

Cale Makar had an assist to give him 80 career playoff points in 72 games played. He’s the fifth defenseman in NHL history to amass 80 career postseason points in 80 or fewer games, joining Bobby Orr (66 games), Paul Coffey (67), Brian Leetch (70) and Al MacInnis (71).

Both team were missing forwards, with Roope Hintz out for Dallas and Yakov Trenin for Colorado.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Colorado Avalanche center Casey Mittelstadt, left, pushes Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene, center, against Colorado goaltender Alexandar Georgiev during the second period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey playoff series Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene, left, has his shot blocked by Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev during the first overtime of Game 6 of an NHL hockey playoff series Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche left wing Jonathan Drouin, left, and Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn reach for the puck during the second period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey playoff series Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Dallas Stars left wings Jamie Benn, left, and Jason Robertson warm up before Game 6 of the team's NHL hockey playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen, center, works for position in front of the net against Dallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell, right, as goaltender Jake Oettinger stops a shot during the second period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey playoff series Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen, left, congratulates right wing Mikko Rantanen for a goal against the Dallas Stars during the second period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey playoff series Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley, left, tries to knock the puck away from Colorado Avalanche right wing Brandon Duhaime during the first period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey playoff series Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche center Andrew Cogliano stumbles next to Dallas Stars center Craig Smith during the first period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey playoff series Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger makes a glove save against the Colorado Avalanche during the first period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey playoff series Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen, right, is congratulated for a goal against the Dallas Stars during the second period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey playoff series Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene, front, pursues the puck, in front of Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews during the second period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey playoff series Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)