Bailey Ober discovered on Friday that sometimes the best remedy is to keep the opposing team from getting any hits for as long as possible.
Despite battling a stomach bug, Ober managed to keep the Los Angeles Angels hitless until the sixth inning. Meanwhile, Carlos Santana hit a home run to contribute to the Minnesota Twins’ 5-3 victory, extending their winning streak to five games.
Santana drove in two runs, with additional RBIs coming from Byron Buxton, Ryan Jeffers, and Willi Castro, aiding the Twins in securing the win in the first game of a three-game series and a six-game trip.
Ober, who improved his record to 2-1, allowed two runs on three hits over 7 1/3 innings, striking out eight batters. This performance continued his recent strong form, as he has posted a 1.47 ERA over 24 1/3 innings in his last four starts, allowing just 11 hits.
“I think you kind of relax a little bit,” Ober commented on how his illness affected his mindset. “I feel like you take pressure off yourself to perform just because you know you’re not feeling great out there and you’re not thinking about too much. You’re trying to execute pitches and that’s about it.”
Left-hander Caleb Thielbar secured the final out, earning his first save of the season and the second of his career.
