Tarnok Matches Career-High with 12 Strikeouts in M-Braves 6-5 Win

BILOXI, MS - RHP Freddy Tarnok struck out 12, including the final seven batters he faced, in five innings as the Mississippi Braves (30-42) beat the Biloxi Shuckers (36-34) 6-5 on Thursday night at MGM Park to close out the month of June.

Tarnok allowed two runs on four hits and two walks. His 12 strikeouts tied a career high. In his last three starts, the right-hander gave up just four runs in 15 innings with 25 strikeouts. He is currently ranked as Atlanta’s No. 8 prospect.

The M-Braves scored in the opening frame for the third straight game as CJ Alexandersmacked a solo shot to right to make it 1-0. Alexander homered in back-to-back games for the third time this season.

Alexander is batting .247 with 14 home runs and 37 RBI. His 14 homers are tied for fourth in the Southern League.

Andruw Monasterio hit a solo home run to tie the game 1-1 after one inning.

In the third, Cody Milligan and Trey Harris started the inning with back-to-back singles. Then, Justin Dean ripped a two-run double into the left field corner to give the M-Braves a 3-1 lead. Hendrik Clementina followed with an RBI single to bring in Dean and make it 4-1.

Milligan and Harris each finished with two hits. Milligan has hits in eight of nine games since being promoted from High-A Rome on June 21.

Felix Valerio doubled in a run in the bottom of the inning to pull Biloxi to 4-2.

In the fifth, Dean and Clementina struck again, each adding RBI singles to make it 6-2 M-Braves.

Dean went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI to wrap up a tremendous June. In 22 games this month, Dean hit .298 with six extra base hits, eight RBI, 13 walks and nine stolen bases. He is currently ranked as Atlanta’s No. 30 prospect.

Clementina finished 2-for-4 with two singles and two RBI. The catcher is 4-for-12 with a homer, a double and three RBI in three games against Biloxi this week.

With a 6-2 lead, RHP Coleman Huntley III followed Tarnok with four strikeouts, retiring six batters in a row for two shutout innings. Huntley III posts a 2.27 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings.

The M-Braves carried a 6-2 lead to the eighth. The red hot Shuckers refused to give up.

Jackson Reetz, who hammered a two-run walk-off homer last night, smashed a three-run home run to right center field to pull the Shuckers within one 6-5.

RHP Tyler Ferguson shut the door in the ninth with a strikeout of Noah Campbell for his second save of the season. Ferguson went 1-2-3 with two strikeouts in the final inning to seal the 6-5 win.

The fourth game of the series is on Friday at MGM Park. RHP Darius Vines (3-4, 5.45) makes the start for Mississippi against LHP Brandon Knarr (0-0, 4.05) for Biloxi. The first pitch is at 6:35 pm CT, with coverage starting at 6:20 pm CT on 103.9 WYAB, TuneIn Radio, First Pitch App, and MiLB.tv.