Biscuits walk off with series lead

Pinch-hitter Josh Arhart ripped a walk-off single in the 11th inning Saturday, giving the Montgomery Biscuits a 6-5 triumph over the Mississippi Braves in Game 3 of the Southern League South Division Finals.

Brooks Badeaux drew a leadoff walk in the 11th, Reid Brignac singled and John Jaso lined out before Arhart smacked a 2-1 offering from reliever Kevin Gunderson to right field, giving the Biscuits a 2-1 lead in the best-of-5 series.

"It was a line drive over the second baseman's head," said the 27-year-old California native. "[My teammates] piled on me out at first base."

Montgomery bounced back from Friday's 8-3 loss after taking the series opener, 6-5, on Thursday.

"It gets the momentum going back our way," said Arhart.

Four Montgomery relievers combined to limit Mississippi to one hit after the fourth.

Richard De Los Santos fanned four over three innings, giving up a single to Clint Sammons in the seventh. Nick DeBarr tossed a perfect eighth and Tim Corcoran walked one over two frames before Jeremy Flanagan (1-0) picked up the win after working out of a bases-loaded jam in the 11th.

"Our bullpen came up huge," Arhart said. "Every guy that came in from the 'pen stepped it up."

Biscuits starter Christopher Mason, the league's Pitcher of the Year, allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk with five strikeouts over four innings.

J.C. Holt and Diory Hernandez slugged solo homers in the third and Josh Burrus opened the fourth with a blast to left field to give the Braves a 5-2 lead.

Badeaux stroked an RBI single and Jaso lifted a sacrifice fly in the fifth for Montgomery. Fernando Perez walked and scored in the seventh when Jaso reached on a fielder's choice to knot the game at 5-5.

The Biscuits had a runner in scoring position in the eighth, ninth and 10th, but could not plate the winning run.

"We got back up again, got our momentum going again and finally got the runner in," Arhart said.

Mississippi reliever Rich Scalamandre (0-1) suffered the loss after surrendering a run on two hits and a walk with one strikeout over 1 1/3 frames. Starter James Parr allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk over 4 1/3 innings.

Montgomery, the reigning Southern League champion, will attempt to return to the Finals on Sunday in Game 4.

"We've got to go out there and take care of business tomorrow," Arhart said.