Bailey Ober dazzles in debut as Blue Wahoos get series win

Bailey Ober's first start with the Blue Wahoos lasted one inning, wiped out by inclement weather.
The second one Friday night turned into a lasting memory.
The 6-foot-9 righthander, essentially pitching in his Double-A level debut, worked a season-high seven innings, allowing just two hits against Chattanooga's strong hitting lineup, as the Blue Wahoos clinched the series with a 4-1 win at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Ober, 24, a North Carolina native and 12th round selection in 2017 by the Minnesota Twins from the College of Charleston, continued to excel with first impressions.
"It was good to see Ober," said Blue Wahoos manager Ramon Borrego. "I finally got the chance. His debut (last Sunday in Mobile) was interrupted with the rain, but he finally got in and did an unbelievable job. That was great."
A sellout crowd (5,038), which included members of Ober's family and pushed season attendance closer to 275,000, saw the Blue Wahoos (66-56 overall, 28-24 second half) win for the fifth time in the past six games. They are back to 10 games over .500 for the first time since June 8.
Ober spent two-thirds of this season in Fort Myers, where he began with the Gulf Coast League (Low-A) Twins affiliate, then the Advanced-A Fort Myers Miracle. He compiled a 4-0 record in eight starts for the Miracle.
While his fastball doesn't approach triple-digits like Brusdar Graterol and Jhoan Duran, pinpoint consistency is one of Ober's strengths.
"The biggest thing with Bailey is he has a high-carry fastball," Borrego said. "He's big guy and he's got carry and he can blow people away with the fastball. He has a really, heavy fastball.
"He was in 90's (mph range). He was using his pitches in and out to get people out."
After producing 25 hits and 22 runs in the prior two wins, the Blue Wahoos won this time with pitching and defense. Ober's seven-inning wizardry was followed two shutout innings by Jonathan Cheshire, who earned his fourth save.
And the offense included more contribution from Willians Astudillo.
Here on his rehab assignment from the Twins, Astudillo blasted a solo homer in the eighth inning, his second in two games. He's collected three hits and scored four runs, plus made the day of young fans getting an autograph afterward.
"I am really happy to be here," said Astudillo, 27, who has been sidelined since June 25 with an oblique injury. "I am working every day. I feel great. No pain. I'm not hurting."
Astudillo was part of the nicknamed "Bomba Squad" that helped the Twins get off to a homer heavy, fast start in the American League. He's provided that same boost to the Blue Wahoos, as well as adding levity to the team's clubhouse.
Borrego first met Astudillo five years ago and has been with him each year in a winter league in their native Venezeula.
"Everybody loves him," Borrego said. "It is great when you have a guy like him, because he is a different personality. He is always talking and pumping everybody up.
"It's basically like we had with (Luis) Arraez. Now, (Astudillo) is loader, both brought energy."
The Blue Wahoos generated run-scoring energy early in the game. In the first inning. Royce Lewis hit a two-out single. He was running on Trevor Larnach's single and when the ball was mishandled in left field, Lewis sped around third base and scored game's first run.
Caleb Hamilton, who recently rejoined the Blue Wahoos, factored into their next two runs after reaching on a single each time and scoring on errors.
The Lookouts only run was Jonathan India, the Cincinnati Reds former No. 1 pick, hitting a lead off home run in the fifth inning.
BALLPARK MEMORIES
The Bill Bond 12-Under team, which won the state tournament and reached the final four of the Cal Ripkin 12-Under Southeast Regional Tournament on July 16-21 in North Carolina, was honored before the game.
The players paraded on the field and ran out with the Blue Wahoos players to positions before the National Anthem.
Stephanie Leavins, who hasn't let a disability restrict her from singing, performed the National Anthem and God Bless America while dressed in a patriotic theme attire. Her wheelchair was also decked out in USA theme.
The game was sponsored by Landshark, which provided a "BobbleShark" bobblehead to the first 2,000 fans. It went with the Jimmy Buffett style theme that included Jeff and Camaros and their group of 134 performing before the game.