ANAHEIM, Calif. — Bailey Ober began his previous start with 4 1/3 no-hit innings against the Detroit Tigers.

He outdid himself on Friday.

The Twins starter threw five hitless innings before a soft fly ball dropped between shortstop Willi Castro and center fielder Byron Buxton to break up his bid for history.

That was part of a strong performance in which Ober threw 7 1/3 innings, matching the longest start of his career, and helped lead the Twins to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. It was the Twins’ fifth straight victory and brings them within a game of .500 after a dreadful start to the season.

Ober retired the first nine batters before issuing a leadoff walk to Angels star Mike Trout to lead off the fourth. After catcher Christian Vázquez wiped Trout off the base paths, Ober walked the next batter, as well.

But for the most part, he was pounding the strike zone and inducing weak contact.

His changeup was a particularly effective pitch, as he racked up 10 of his 12 swing-and-misses on the pitch. Ober, who gave up a run in the sixth inning, left in the eighth after retiring the first batter and then allowing a double to Zach Neto.

The long outing from Ober was especially important for the Twins after they used their top two relievers — Griffin Jax and Brock Stewart — on consecutive days.

Though an inherited runner scored after his departure, Ober’s strong start was backed by just enough run support, starting with Carlos Santana’s second home run in as many days. Santana, who did not have a home run with Minnesota until Thursday, launched a ball to center field, giving the Twins (12-13) a lead they would hold the rest of the night.

They tacked on their second run an inning later, when Byron Buxton’s sharply hit ball brought home Willi Castro. Ryan Jeffers’ single over leaping shortstop Neto scored Castro in the fifth inning, and Santana’s second hit of the night, which bounced off the mound and then second baseman Luis Rengifo’s glove, produced the Twins’ fourth run.

Castro’s third hit — a double which brought home Austin Martin  — provided an important insurance run, especially because Matt Bowman ran into trouble in the ninth inning, walking a pair of batters to bring the game-tying run to the plate. Caleb Thielbar entered and allowed a run-scoring hit before retiring Trout to end the game.