Sonny Gray throws 7 scoreless innings as Cards blank White Sox

Sonny Gray, JoJo Romero and Ryan Helsley combined for three-hitter as the St. Louis Cardinals blanked the visiting Chicago White Sox 3-0 Friday.

Gray (4-1) allowed those three hits in seven innings. He struck out six and walked one while lowering his season ERA to 0.89 in 30 1/3 innings.

Romero handled the White Sox in the eighth inning, and Helsley closed out the ninth for his 11th save.

Nolan Arenado drove in three runs with two doubles and Willson Contreras went 3-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and two runs to pace the Cardinals offense.

Brad Keller (0-1) allowed three runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings for the White Sox, who lost for the 11th time in 14 games. He walked two and struck out five.

The Cardinals seized a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Contreras hit a ground-rule double, Paul Goldschmidt walked and Arenado smashed a two-run double through the left-center field alley.

Chicago threatened in the second inning when Andrew Vaughn hit a one-out double and moved up on Andrew Benintendi's flyout. But Gray struck out former Cardinals shortstop Paul De Jong to strand Vaughn.

Gray encountered trouble again in the third inning. Nicky Lopez hit a two-out single, moved to second base on a wild pitch and stole third as Tommy Pham drew a walk. Once again Gray escaped, this time by retiring Eloy Jimenez on a lineout.

Keller dodged trouble in the fourth inning when Masyn Winn reached on an error, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. But Michael Siani hit an inning-ending groundout.

The Cardinals increased their lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning when Contreras walked and scored on Arenado's double down the right field line. Jared Shuster relieved Keller and retired Alec Burleson on a flyout to prevent further damage.