METAIRIE, La. — Brendan Harris hit a two-run double to highlight a five-run first inning that propelled the New Orleans Zephyrs to a 6-1 win over the Portland Beavers at Zephyr Field Wednesday.

Rick Short went 3-for-3 with a walk and an RBI to extend his hitting streak to 13 games and raise his batting average to .383, the highest in professional baseball.

In his second start since rejoining the Beavers, Tim Stauffer retired the first two Zephyrs (53-62) he faced but then allowed the next eight batters to reach base. Kevin Orie and Dee Brown hit RBI-singles and then scored on Harris’ double. Stauffer surrendered another run and loaded the bases before getting Juan Melo to fly out for the final out.

Stauffer (2-2) got one run back when he singled to score Greg Sain in the second and he allowed only one more run in five innings of work, but the Beavers (54-62) could not dig themselves out of the early hole.

Matt White (6-5) retired 14 of the next 15 batters he faced and left the game after seven solid innings. He allowed only the one run on five singles and two walks and he struck out five.

Jason Bergmann and Travis Hughes held the Beavers hitless over the final two innings.

The top five hitters in Portland’s lineup went 0-for19 with seven strikeouts.

The Beavers conclude their four-game series with the New Orleans Zephyrs Thursday night at 5:05 p.m. in Metairie, La.

NOTES: Wilson Valdez looped a pinch-hit single in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to a season-high eight games … Ben Johnson was not with the team as he attended a family funeral.

Beavers Game File
WEDNESDAY’S GAME: New Orleans 6, Beavers 1.
WINNING PITCHER: White (6-5).
LOSING PITCHER: Stauffer (2-2).
SAVE: None.
HOME RUNS: None.
THURSDAY’S GAME: Portland (Brian Sweeney: 3-2, 3.19) at New Orleans (Kip Bouknight: 2-0, 1.89); 5:05 p.m; live broadcast on KKAD AM-1550 and www.portlandbeavers.com, beginning at 4:40 p.m.