Sonny Gray struck out six and didn't walk a batter over six scoreless innings to beat his former club with career win No. 100, and Willson Contreras doubled twice and drove in a run for the St. Louis Cardinals in their 3-1 win against the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.

Nolan Arenado hit an RBI single in the first to stake Gray (2-0) to an early lead against an Oakland team that had won three of four and drew a crowd of 5,508.

Esteury Ruiz was called up by Oakland shortly before first pitch from Triple-A Las Vegas and hit a pinch homer in the eighth.

Closer Ryan Helsley struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his sixth save in a game that lasted 2:19.

A's starter Ross Stripling (0-4) left in the sixth and gave way to Michael Kelly, who immediately gave up an RBI single to Jordan Walker. Stripling has allowed 32 hits over his initial four starts since the A's acquired the right-hander in a trade from the Giants.

Zack Gelof had a pair of hits for the A's, who took two of three from the Nationals at home over the weekend and have won three straight series for the first time since May 31-June 16, 2021, when they had five victorious sets in a row.

Lance Lynn (0-0, 2.63 ERA) pitches the middle game of the series for St. Louis opposite LHP JP Sears (1-1, 5.17).