Zephyrs stifle Sacramento rallies in victory

The New Orleans Zephyrs put up four runs in the first two innings and survived bases-loaded jams in the sixth and seventh innings to beat the Sacramento River Cats 4-1 Saturday in the four-game series opener at Zephyr Field.

Z's starter Brian Flynn held the River Cats scoreless on three hits through the first five innings while working around an 18-minute lightning delay, but Sacramento touched him for three hits in the sixth, including a run-scoring single by Nick Buss that scored Shane Peterson and drove Flynn from the game with the Zephyrs ahead 4-1.

Sam Dyson took over with two outs and runners on first and second. He walked Ryan Ortiz to load the bases but got Anthony Aliotti to ground out to end the threat.

Dyson found himself in the same situation the next inning when Josh Reddick hit one of his two doubles, and Nate Freiman followed with a single before Dyson walked Shane Peterson.

But Sacramento again stranded the bases loaded when Jose Martinez hit a weak grounder back to the mound.

Chaz Roe pitched the final two innings, allowing nothing more than a single on Reddick's fourth hit of the night, to record his ninth save of the season and preserve the victory for Flynn (7-5), who allowed one run on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Sacramento finished 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base, while the Zephyrs stranded five and scored all of their runs in the first two innings against River Cats starter Matt Buschmann (5-3).

Three of the Z's first four hits were doubles, including a first-inning two-bagger by Donovan Solano that set up a run-scoring single for Mark Canha and doubles by Jordany Valdespin and Zack Cox in the second inning to give New Orleans a 2-0 lead.

Juan Diaz then singled to send Cox to third, and Matt Angle extended his season-high, 10-game hitting streak with a bunt single to drive in Cox. Diaz scored the third run of the frame on a fielder's choice ground out by Solano.

The Zephyrs improved to 15-5 in series openers this season and will play the second game of their series with Sacramento at 1 p.m. Sunday at Zephyr Field. Adam Conley will return to the mound for NOLA after missing nearly two months with an injury and will face Zach Neal for the River Cats.