In Anaheim, Bailey Ober showcased resilience and dominance, pitching into the sixth inning without allowing a hit despite battling a stomach bug. Carlos Santana’s homer and solid pitching led the Minnesota Twins to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, extending their winning streak to five games.
Ober, despite a shaky season debut, has been stellar in his recent outings, maintaining a 1.47 ERA over 24 1/3 innings. The Angels, despite fighting back late, struggled to ignite their offense early.
The Angels (10-16) have now lost seven of their last eight games.
“I think you kind of relax a little bit,” Ober said about having an illness that forced him to sharpen his focus. “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.”
Mike Trout, currently 2 for 22 with runners in scoring position this season, struck out on a check swing with two on in the sixth inning. In the eighth, with first base open, he walked on four pitches. Representing the winning run in the ninth, he grounded out, concluding the game.
“My swing’s not feeling so great,” Trout said. “I’m not saying it’s pressing. It’s just consistency at the plate. Ever since Boston (two weeks ago), I’ve been feeling good and then off and on again. As opposed to what I felt in the first two weeks of the season. Just trying to figure some stuff out.”
Left-handed pitcher Patrick Sandoval, often let down by his team’s defense, committed an error with a pickoff throw in the third inning, resulting in an unearned run.
UP NEXT:
Twins RHP Chris Paddack (1-1, 5.57 ERA) returns to the mound after a 10-strikeout performance against the White Sox on Monday, his most since June of 2021. Angels RHP Jose Soriano (0-3, 3.43 ERA) will make his fourth career
