Andino home runs bookend Z's win
Robert Andino hit two home runs and finished with four RBI to lead the New Orleans Zephyrs to a 9-3 win over the Omaha Storm Chasers on Thursday night.
Andino led off the game with a home run, and added a two-run double in the second inning to put New Orleans in front to stay. His second long ball of the game, a solo shot in the ninth, gave him his first multi-homer game and four-RBI game since July 19, 2014 while playing for Indianapolis.
The Zephyrs extended their lead to 4-1 in the sixth on a two-out single by Carlos Corporan to cash in Matt Juengel's leadoff double. Juengel had three hits, one of five Zephyrs with at least two hits on the night.
Z's starter Chris Narveson (3-2) allowed a leadoff triple to Ramon Torres in the bottom of the first, then retired the next 12 batters he faced. He held the Storm Chasers to two hits in 5 1/3 innings, and made a sprawling stop on a soft grounder by Torres in the sixth to record his final out with a throw from his belly but appeared to injure himself and was forced to exit.
Tyler Bremer allowed a line drive home run off the left field foul pole to Jorge Bonifacio on the second batter he faced but maintained the Zephyrs' lead into the eighth inning, when the Z's bats came to life to put the game away.
The Zephyrs scored five runs on seven hits over the final two frames, including a pair of run-scoring hits from Destin Hood, who moved into a tie for fourth in the Pacific Coast League with 52 RBI.
Craig Breslow scattered a run and five hits across two innings of relief, and worked out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth to preserve the win.
Miguel Almonte (3-5) struggled with his command and allowed three runs and four hits with four walks in four innings to take the loss.
New Orleans has beaten Omaha eight consecutive times, the Zephyrs' longest winning streak in the 24-year history between the clubs.
The Z's attempt to move above .500 for the first time since May 4 in Friday's series finale. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.