Zephyrs top Rainiers to end slide

Tomas Telis and Matt Juengel hit third-inning home runs, providing the difference as the New Orleans Zephyrs ended a seven-game home losing streak by defeating the Tacoma Rainiers, 3-1 on Friday night.

Telis, who has collected at least one RBI and one run scored in seven consecutive games, belted his first home run of the season with one out in the third to snap a 1-1 tie. One batter later, Juengel drilled his second of the year.

Juengel is hitting .419 over his last nine games with two homers and seven RBI.

The Rainiers entered winners of eight of their last 10 games and owners of the best record in the Pacific Coast League, but Chris Narveson turned in his second straight quality start by limiting Tacoma to one run - a solo homer by Efren Navarro in the second inning - across six innings of work.

Narveson (1-1) struck out six without issuing a walk to earn his first win in as a Zephyr after 16 games, including eight starts.

Jo-Jo Reyes followed with two flawless innings of relief, and Craig Breslow retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his first save.

Brad Mills (0-1) gave up three runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings to suffer the loss. The veteran left-hander dropped to 0-7 with a 5.48 ERA in 12 career starts against New Orleans.

The Zephyrs and Rainiers continue the series on Saturday on 6 p.m. The first 2,000 fans in attendance will receive an Austin Nola bobblehead, courtesy of Take 5 Oil Change.