Ober stays hot, Santana homers to help Twins beat Angels 5-3 for 5th straight victory

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Bailey Ober learned Friday that the best medicine is not to allow a hit for as long as possible.

Ober took a no-hitter into the sixth inning while fighting through a stomach bug, Carlos Santana homered and the Minnesota Twins extended their winning streak to five games, beating the Los Angeles Angels 5-3.

Santana drove in two runs, while Byron Buxton, Ryan Jeffers and Willi Castro each had an RBI to help the Twins win the opener of a three-game series and a six-game trip.

Ober (2-1) was charged with two runs on three hits over 7 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts to continue his recent domination after he gave up eight runs on nine hits over 1 1/3 innings of his season debut against Kansas City. In his four starts since, Ober has a 1.47 ERA over 24 1/3 innings, while allowing a combined 11 hits.

“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.”

Left-hander Caleb Thielbar got the final out for his first save of the season and the second of his career.

Patrick Sandoval (1-4) gave up four runs (three earned) over 5 2/3 innings for the Angels, who lost for the seventh time in their last eight games. Nolan Schanuel drove in a pair of runs for Los Angeles and Zach Neto had an RBI.

The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Santana’s home run to center field, his second. Buxton made it 2-0 with his RBI single in the third.

With Ober in control, the Twins added a third run in the fifth inning on a Jeffers single and made it 4-0 in the sixth when Santana drove in his second run of the game on a single.

The Angels finally got their first hit when Luis Rengifo hit a blooper to shallow center field just out of the reach of Castro at shortstop. After a double from Neto put two runners aboard, Schanuel ended the shutout bid with his RBI grounder to shortstop.

“Despite all that, we still had ourselves in position to win that game,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “We just have to get our offense going earlier. It’s the second game in a row we went into the sixth with a no-hitter. But from the sixth to the ninth, we fought.”

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli has been impressed with how Ober has not only turned things around after a clunker in his opener, but continues to pitch at a high level, even with an illness.

“When a guy's sick, you don't know if he's fine, he's going to keel over, or something in between. You just don't know,” Baldelli said. "We kept a close eye on him but man he was direct. He was grabbing the ball, throwing strikes and he had the cutter working pretty good. He looked great. He didn't look sick, that's for sure. He pitched about as well as you can pitch.

Schanuel added an RBI single in the eighth inning before Castro got the run back for the Twins on an RBI double in the ninth. Neto drove in a run for the Angels in the ninth inning.

“We just couldn’t find a way to get on base,” Washington said. "We finally cashed in with Rengifo’s hit and then things started to fall in our favor. But we need to get our offense going earlier.”

Former Twins infielder Miguel Sano started at third base for the Angels and went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts. Before going unsigned and not playing last season, Sano was in Minnesota for eight seasons and hit 162 home runs.

TRAINERS’ ROOM

Twins: RHP Jhoan Duran (oblique) had his second rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul moved back a day because of a rain out. ... RHP Justin Topa (knee) will make his second rehab appearance at St. Paul on Sunday after he had three strikeouts in an inning of work Thursday.

Angels: 3B Anthony Rendon said he has a high-grade partial tear of his left hamstring, with the update coming five days after he was placed on the injured list with a “strain.” It is expected to be a lengthy recovery for Rendon, who has yet to play more than 58 games in any of his previous four seasons with the club, although one of those was the shortened 2020 pandemic season. ... RHP Chase Silseth (elbow) took part in a light throwing session.

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 start after not giving up an earned run over six innings Sunday against the Reds.

Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro runs to score off a single hit by Byron Buxton during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout watches a foul ball during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout, right, reacts after being picked off by Minnesota Twins shortstop Willi Castro while trying to steal second during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Minnesota Twins' Jose Miranda slides into second base after hitting a double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout, bottom, is picked off stealing second by Minnesota Twins shortstop Willi Castro, front top, during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

DETROIT (AP) — Severe storms battered the Midwest on Tuesday, unleashing a curtain of heavy rain, gusty winds and tornadoes throughout the region a day after a deadly twister ripped through a small Oklahoma town and killed at least one person.

Tornadoes were spotted after dark Tuesday in parts of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, while portions of Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri were also under a tornado watch, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters warned that the storms could stretch late into the night with the possibility of more twisters and large hail.

In southwestern Michigan, two tornadoes blitzed the city of Portage near Kalamazoo. The city said in a news release that no serious injuries had been reported despite the twisters severely damaging homes and commercial buildings, including a FedEx facility.

An estimated 50 people were trapped inside the facility at one point because of downed power lines, authorities said. But FedEx spokesperson Shannon Davis said late Tuesday that “all team members are safe and accounted for.”

Meanwhile, entire homes were destroyed in a nearby mobile home park.

The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center has cited more than a dozen reports of tornadoes from Monday evening through early Tuesday in the central part of the United States. Eight of the twisters were in Oklahoma, while Kansas, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Tennessee all saw at least one tornado.

The powerful storms come amid a wild swing in severe weather across the globe that includes some of the worst-ever flooding in Brazil and a brutal Asian heat wave.

The deadly tornado that touched down Monday night in Oklahoma ripped through the 1,000-person town of Barnsdall, about a 40-minute drive north of Tulsa. The National Weather Service there had warned Monday evening that “a large and life-threatening tornado” was headed toward Barnsdall and the nearby town of Bartlesville.

It was the second tornado to hit Barnsdall in five weeks — a twister on April 1 with maximum wind speeds of 90 to 100 mph (145 to 161 kph) damaged homes and blew down trees and power poles.

Barnsdall Mayor Johnny Kelley said one person was dead while one man was missing after Monday's twister. Authorities launched a secondary search Tuesday morning for the missing man.

“The toughest thing on me as the mayor is this is a small community,” Kelley said. “I know 75% to 80% of the people in this town.”

At least 30 to 40 homes in the Barnsdall area were damaged Monday night, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.

Aerial videos showed several well-built homes reduced to piles of rubble and others with roofs torn off and damaged walls still standing. The powerful twister tossed vehicles, downed power lines and stripped limbs and bark from trees across the town. A 160-acre (65-hectare) wax manufacturing facility in the community also sustained heavy damage.

First responders rescued about 25 people, including children, from heavily damaged homes where buildings had collapsed on or around them, Kelley said. About a half dozen people suffered injuries, he said.

The Barnsdall Nursing Home said it evacuated residents because a gas leak could not be turned off due to storm damage. It later posted online that all residents were accounted for with no injuries, and they were being taken to other facilities.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who toured the twister's damage on Tuesday, said it was rated by weather researchers as a violent tornado with wind speeds up to 200 mph (322 kph). Stitt said he and legislative leaders have agreed to set aside $45 million in this year's budget to help storm-damaged communities.

“Oklahomans are resilient," Stitt said, "and we're going to rebuild.”

At the Hampton Inn in Bartlesville, several splintered 2x4s were driven into the south side of the building. Chunks of insulation, twisted metal and other debris were scattered over the hotel’s lawn, and vehicles in the parking lot were heavily damaged with smashed-out windows.

Matthew Macedo, who was staying at the hotel, said he was ushered into the hotel laundry room to wait out the storm.

“When the impact occurred, it was incredibly sudden," he said.

The storms tore through Oklahoma as areas, including Sulphur and Holdenville, were still recovering from a tornado that killed four and left thousands without power late last month. Both the Plains and Midwest have been hammered by tornadoes this spring.

Oklahoma and Kansas had been under a high-risk weather warning Monday. The last time such a warning was issued was March 31, 2023, when a massive storm system tore through parts of the South and Midwest including Arkansas, Illinois and rural Indiana.

Murphy reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press journalists around the country contributed to this report, including Rio Yamat, Sarah Brumfield, Kathy McCormack, Beatrice Dupuy, Jim Salter, Heather Hollingsworth and Colleen Slevin.

Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate solutions reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Debris litters the ground near a damaged building after a tornado swept through the area of the Pavilion Estates mobile home park, in Kalamazoo, Mich., Tuesday, May 7, 2024. ( J. Scott Park/Jackson Citizen Patriot via AP)

Buildings appear damaged after a tornado swept through the area of the Pavilion Estates mobile home park, in Kalamazoo, Mich., Tuesday, May 7, 2024. ( J. Scott Park/Jackson Citizen Patriot via AP)

Police and rescue personnel work at the scene after a tornado swept through the area of the Pavilion Estates mobile home park, in Kalamazoo, Mich., Tuesday, May 7, 2024. ( J. Scott Park/Jackson Citizen Patriot via AP)

Debris litters the ground near damaged buildings after a tornado swept through the area of the Pavilion Estates mobile home park, in Kalamazoo, Mich., Tuesday, May 7, 2024. Multiple injuries were reported at the park. ( J. Scott Park/Jackson Citizen Patriot via AP)

FedEx trucks sit outside a damaged FedEx facility after a tornado in Portage, Mich., Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (Brad Devereaux/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

Debris is seen from a damaged FedEx facility after a tornado in Portage, Mich., Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (Brad Devereaux/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

Debris and damage from powerful storms are pictured, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Barnsdall, Okla. A tornado destroyed homes, forced the evacuation of a nursing home and toppled trees and power lines when it roared through the small Oklahoma town. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Carl Kelley and Jon Reynolds search through Kelley's mother's home after it was damaged by a severe storm, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Barnsdall, Okla. A tornado destroyed homes, forced the evacuation of a nursing home and toppled trees and power lines when it roared through the small Oklahoma town. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

People look through a damaged property after powerful storms hit the area, Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

People check a storm damaged home at sunrise Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Barnsdall, Okla. A tornado destroyed homes, forced the evacuation of a nursing home and toppled trees and power lines when it roared through the small Oklahoma town. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Paden Fincher looks to salvage items from what's left of his sister's home following a severe storm, Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. Fincher said his sister, her husband and their 3 children rode the storm out in the home. He said his sister was in surgery, but said she was going to be ok. A tornado destroyed homes, forced the evacuation of a nursing home and toppled trees and power lines when it roared through the small Oklahoma town. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Debris and damage from powerful storms are seen, Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. A tornado destroyed homes, forced the evacuation of a nursing home and toppled trees and power lines when it roared through the small Oklahoma town. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Carl Kelley and Jon Reynolds search through Kelley's mother's home after it was damaged by a severe storm, Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. A tornado destroyed homes, forced the evacuation of a nursing home and toppled trees and power lines when it roared through the small Oklahoma town. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

An Oklahoma State Highway Patrol trooper searches storm damage Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

A woman walks around debris and damage caused by powerful storms, Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Tim and Joy King looks at their house that was destroyed by a tornado Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Brian Yazzie helps clean his mother's home after it was damaged by a tornado Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Joy King, left, and her granddaughter Crystal Maxey hug in front of King's house that was destroyed by a tornado Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. The two were looking for King's cats and salvaging what items they could. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Debris and damage from powerful storms are seen. Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

An Oklahoma State Highway Patrol trooper searches storm damage Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Oklahoma State Highway Patrol troopers search storm damage Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Debris and damage from powerful storms are seen. Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Barnsdall, Okla. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

A tornado spins west of Hawley, Texas, as cars pass on U.S. 277 on Thursday May 2, 2024. (Ronald W. Erdrich/The Abilene Reporter-News via AP)

A mailbox is partially submerged on a flooded street in an unincorporated area in east Harris County near Houston on Sunday morning, May 5, 2024. The nearby San Jacinto River, overflowing due to heavy rainfall earlier this week, caused the flood waters. (AP Photo/Lekan Oyekanmi)

Clouds amass over power lines follow days of storms on Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Humble, Texas. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)