St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray #54 throws against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND — Sonny Gray returned to where it all started Monday night and put his former team in its place.
The St. Louis Cardinals beat the A’s 3-1 at the Coliseum, with Gray getting the 100th win of his major league career.
The A’s loss came before an announced crowd of 5,508, much of it wearing Cardinals red, and cooled off a team that came in having won three consecutive series for the first time since 2021.
Esteury Ruiz gave the A’s and manager Mark Kotsay and general manager David Forst something to think about in the eighth inning, hitting a 406-foot pinch homer off JoJo Romero to break up the shutout. Ruiz was activated just before game time to replace third baseman J.D. Davis, who went on the 10-day injured list with an abductor strain.
Shipped to Triple-A after a 3-for-7 start, Ruiz hit a 0-1 pitch deep into the left field seats at 106.8 miles per hour. He was pinch-hitting against the left-handed Romero in place of Lawrence Butler.
Ruiz has been wearing out the ball since his demotion, adding power to the speed that produced an American League-leading 67 steals as a rookie last season.
“I don’t even think about it,” Ruiz said through a translator regarding his new-found power. “I just try to get good at-bats, hit the ball as best I can and if a home run comes, it comes and it will be really welcome. But I’m trying to put the ball on the bat and hit it to the right spot.”
Oakland Athletics’ Esteury Ruiz #1 scores after hitting a solo home run off St. Louis Cardinals’ JoJo Romero #59 in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Having Ruiz sent to Triple-A wasn’t well-received by the fan base. But if there was any bitterness over the move by Ruiz, he kept it well hidden.
“Of course, you get sad when you get sent down,” Ruiz said. “You want to be here, but I love playing baseball. So if it’s here or Triple-A, I’m going to do my work and do my best and enjoy the game at the same time. But I definitely want to be here.”
The A’s have stressed plate discipline, exit velocity, and a more consistent approach with Ruiz. Kotsay is seeing signs of all three.
“The best thing that we’ve seen down there is he’s swinging in the zone 70 percent of the time, so he’s picking the right pitches to swing at and putting a good swing on it,” Kotsay said. “He’s had a great attitude. Even in the discussions when we were sending him out, he understood. He was determined to go perform, which he did. He was excited about being here.”
Gray, a fan favorite in Oakland from 2013 through 2017 with a sharp fastball and a crackling breaking ball that belied his 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame, has grown up as a pitcher and he was at his efficient best against his former team.
In six innings, Gray, 34, mixed his pitches beautifully and threw nearly 70 percent strikes (50 of 72) with no walks and six strikeouts. He gave up four hits with only one A’s runner reaching third base. After throwing five shutout innings in his first start, Gray is 2-0 and unscored on in 11 innings.
“Sonny was Sonny,” Kotsay said. “He’s a front-line starter that commands both sides of the plate, has got a wipeout slider. We knew it was going to be a tough night.”
Andrew Kittredge, Romero, and Ryan Helsley finished up for the Cardinals, with Helsley getting his sixth save.
A’s starter Ross Stripling left with two out in the sixth, not pitching all that badly but trailing 2-0 with two runners aboard. Jordan Walker singled to right to drive in a third run — charged to Stripling — and St. Louis had given Gray a three-run cushion in the top of the sixth.
Stripling threw 101 pitches, 67 of them strikes, with two walks and four strikeouts. His record fell to 0-4.
“It was frustrating because I felt I was throwing the ball well against a good lineup against a good team,” Stripling said. “Then to go out there in the sixth and give up a leadoff double. You want to keep it close there, end up giving up two, and a three-run lead feels obviously bigger than a one-run lead and it looks like a much better outing.
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ross Stripling #36 throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
The sixth opened with a Lars Nootbaar double against Stripling, and when Nolan Arenado flied deep to left — he seemed unable to believe the ball didn’t go out — Nootbaar tagged up and went to third.
Willson Contreras then grounded a double down the left-field line to score Nootbaar. Stripling got Nolan Gorman on a grounder but was removed after a walk to Masyn Winn, bringing in Michael Kelly. Walker’s single against Kelly drove in the second run.
The Cardinals scored in the first against Stripling on a run-scoring single by Arenado.
Kelly gave up an inherited run charged to Stripling and Austin Adams pitched a scoreless ninth. He hasn’t allowed an earned run in his first eight appearances (5 2/3 innings) and has nine strikeouts.
The Cardinals improved to 8-9, with the A’s falling to 7-10.
All players in the game wore No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier on April 15, 1947.
St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Helsey #56 and catcher Willson Contreras #40 celebrate their MLB win over the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals celebrate their 3-1 MLB win over the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman #16 completes the double play as Oakland Athletics’ Tyler Nevin #26 is forced out at second base in the seventh inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ Tyler Nevin #26 strikes out against St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Helsey #56 to end their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Austin Adams #29 throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ Esteury Ruiz #1 is congratulated by Darell Hernaiz #2 after hitting a solo home run off St. Louis Cardinals’ JoJo Romero #59 in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ Esteury Ruiz #1 rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off St. Louis Cardinals’ JoJo Romero #59 in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ shortstop Darell Hernaiz #2 takes the throw as St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan #33 is forced out in the seventh inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ Shea Langeliers #23 hits into a double play in the seventh inning of their MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics shortstop Darell Hernaiz #2 takes the throw as St. Louis Cardinals’ Jordan Walker #18 is forced out at second base in the sixth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Michael Kelly #47 throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the sixth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals’ Willson Contreras #40 is congratulated after scoring on a single by Jordan Walker #18 in the sixth inning of their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ross Stripling #36 is taken out my manager Mark Kotsay in the sixth inning of their MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals’ Lars Nootbaar #21 scores past Oakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers #23 on a RBI double by Willson Contreras #40 in the sixth inning of their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals’ Willson Contreras #40 hits an RBI double off Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ross Stripling #36 in the sixth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ Zack Gelof #46 is out after attempting to steal second base as he’s tagged by Nolan Gorman #16 in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Michael Kelly #47 throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals’ Willson Contreras #40 is safe at second base under the tag of Oakland Athletics’ Zack Gelof #46 after hitting a double in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals’ Paul Goldschmidt #46 scores on a single by Nolan Arenado #28 in the first inning of their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ross Stripling #36 throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Former Oakland Athletics’ Rickey Henderson before their MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics players all wear #42 to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day during their MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals’ Brandon Crawford #35 in the dugout with teammates before their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Alberto Santellan and his son Mateo, 6 months try to get the attention of St. Louis Cardinals’ Brandon Crawford #35 before their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. It was Mateo’s 6-month birthday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals’ Brandon Crawford #35 heads to the dugout before their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals’ Brandon Crawford #35 warms up before their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals’ Brandon Crawford #35 signs autographs for fans before their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals’ Brandon Crawford #35 and Brendan Donovan #33 warm up before their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
St. Louis Cardinals’ Brandon Crawford #35 warms up before their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
