Bailey Ober pitches Twins past Angels in series opener

Ober had a no-hitter through five innings and fanned eight over 7 1/3 innings overall.

Minnesota Twins pitcher Bailey Ober (17) pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., on April 26, 2024. / Kiyoshi Mio / USA TODAY Sports

Bailey Ober delievered another stellar start and Carlos Santana continued to come alive at the plate as the Twins kept their revival going in a 5-3 series-opening victory over the Los Angeles Angels Friday night in Anaheim, Calif. It's the Twins' fifth straight win.

Ober had a no-hitter through five innings before the Angels (10-16) finally broke it up in the sixth inning. Luis Rengifo led off the inning with a single and Zach Neto followed up with a double to center field. After Ober struck out Mike Trout, Nolan Schanuel grounded out to short, but scored Rengifo.

But Ober struck out Ehire Adrianza to get out of the inning with minimal damage, with the Twins still on top 4-1. Then he pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Ober came out for the eighth and got Rengifo to ground out before allowing a double to Neto, which put an end to his stellar outing.

In all, Ober went 7 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits and two runs while fanning eight.

The Twins (12-13) put the first run across the board when Santana hit his second homer in as many days in the second inning — a solo, 425-foot shot to center field. Santana hit his first homer as a Twin in the series finale against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, which the Twins won 6-3.

Santana later hit an RBI single in the sixth inning, scoring Jose Miranda, who had doubled the previous at-bat. That gave the Twins a 4-0 lead after finding runs in the third inning — Byron Buxton hit an RBI single to score Willi Castro, who singled earlier in the inning — and fifth inning — Ryan Jeffers scored Castro, who doubled earlier in the frame, with a single to left field.

Matt Bowman came on in relief of Ober in the eighth inning, walking Trout before giving up a single to Schanuel that scored Neto. But he struck out Taylor Ward and Adrianza to get out of the inning.

The Twins added an insurance run in the ninth when Castro hit his second double of the night that scored Austin Martin, who drew a leadoff walk. Bowman came back out for the ninth for the Twins and got two outs but issued a couple walks, which led Twins manager Rocco Baldelli to turn to Caleb Theilbar, who let up a single to Neto that scored Logan O'Hoppe, who reached on a fielder's choice.

But the drama came to an end when Thielbar got Trout to ground out to end the game.