BALTIMORE — Sometimes, one run is enough. It was for Bailey Ober on Saturday, at least.
After an offensive breakthrough a day earlier, Twins hitters were only able to push across one run Saturday, but with Ober at his best, that was all they needed. Ober threw seven scoreless innings, and got some support from Joey Gallo, who hit his second home run in as many days, to help lift the Twins to a 1-0 win over the Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
The starter worked efficiently all day, only falling into one three-ball count. He was ahead for almost all of the game, working his way quickly through the Orioles lineup. The Orioles had just three baserunners on in his start — he hit a batter in the fourth inning — and mounted no serious threats against Ober.
Ober leaned heavily on his changeup, racking up five of the eight strikeouts on that pitch and throwing it as often on Saturday as he threw his four-seam fastball.
Baltimore did not have a runner reach second base until the ninth inning. A fantastic sliding grab by Max Kepler in a foul helped keep that runner at second base.
The Twins, meanwhile, had one of their best opportunities to score taken away when left fielder Austin Hays made a fantastic diving grab in the third inning to rob Byron Buxton of extra bases. Carlos Correa was on base at the time.
The Twins had lost another opportunity in the sixth when Kyle Farmer was ruled out after running into Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg on a Christian Vázquez grounder.
While the Twins won the game, they did lose their third baseman for the time being. Royce Lewis was clutching at his side in the third inning as he tried to run out a groundball.
He left the game immediately alongside trainer Nick Paparesta, and the Twins announced a left oblique strain. Jose Miranda, the likely replacement for Lewis on the roster, was scratched from the St. Paul Saints lineup after the fact.