OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Esteury Ruiz homered for the second time in three games since being recalled from Triple-A, and the Oakland Athletics beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Ruiz drove in two runs, scored twice and stole a base. He has homered twice in seven at-bats since his return Monday from Triple-A Las Vegas.

“It feels amazing,” Ruiz said through a translator. “Coming here, keep hitting the baseball like I was down there (in Triple-A). And I feel like this. I feel amazing. Who doesn’t want to feel like that? It feels great.”

A crowd of 9,551 attended the game, with the three-game series totaling 18,355 fans. The A’s, who have announced plans to play in Sacramento from 2025-27 while a new ballpark is built in Las Vegas, have had an average attendance of 6,244 through their first 13 home games.