Friday's 7-0 shutout, sixth-straight win clinches home-field advantage for M-Braves

PEARL, MS - The Mississippi Braves clinched home-field advantage and the regular season Double-A South crown with a 7-0 shutout of the Montgomery Biscuits on Friday night at Trustmark Park. The win is the M-Braves' sixth in a row. Starter Freddy Tarnok tossed 6.1 innings of one-hit baseball to earn the win on the mound, and Shea Langeliers blasted his 20th home run.

The magical 2021 season will include the first postseason appearance since 2016 and fifth in team history. The Braves are 61-32 since starting the year 4-8 and have won 20 of the last 24 games to clinch with eight games remaining.

Xavier Edwards reached base safely via an error to start the game, but Langeliers threw out his 30th base runner of the season in the top of the first inning to keep Edwards off of third base. The error was later changed to a hit by the official scorer.

The M-Braves started the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Luke Waddell walked, and Trey Harris singled on a line drive to right field. Langeliers then launched his 20th home run of the season. The homer was Langeliers' first in September and made him just the third M-Braves player to record a 20-home run season, joining Ernesto Mejia (26, 2011) and Ryan Casteel (21, 2019).

CJ Alexander followed with a triple off the right-field wall. Two batters later, Greyson Jenista hit a missile off the left-field wall for an RBI double to give the M-Braves the 4-0 lead. Alexander came a home run shy of the cycle, recording a triple, single, and double in his first three at-bats.

The M-Braves did not let up in the bottom of the second inning. Jacob Pearson led off with a walk, and Justin Dean singled to center. Waddell followed with an RBI double to left field to extend the lead to 5-0.

Ivan Pelaez started the bottom of the fourth inning in relief of Alex Valverde. Valverde finished with 3.0 innings, eight hits, two walks, two strikeouts, and five earned runs. Dean greeted Pelaez with a line-drive double to centerfield. Waddell then walked, and Harris plated Dean with an RBI single up the middle. Alexander delivered an RBI double down the third-base line two batters later to push the lead to 7-0.

Will Latcham replaced Freddy Tarnok with one out in the top of the seventh inning. Tarnok was spectacular in retiring 18 of the last 19 hitters he faced. Tarnok finished with 6.1 innings, one hit, one walk, and eight strikeouts. Ford Proctor met Latcham with a single to left field, which was the first hit of the game for the Biscuits prior to the scoring change.

Tyler Ferguson worked a flawless eighth inning, and Odalvi Javier finished the shutout with a scoreless ninth to finish out the shutout.

With home-field advantage, the M-Braves will host games three, four (if necessary), and five (if necessary) at Trustmark Park, September 24-26. Games one and two will be at the second seed, September 21-22.

The M-Braves will look to stretch the winning streak to seven on Saturday at Trustmark Park on a special 9/11 tribute night. RHP Spencer Strider (3-6, 4.75) will start against RHP Jack Lobosky (0-4, 4.54). The first pitch is 6:35 pm with coverage on 103.9 WYAB, mississippibraves.com, and MiLB.TV.

*Saturday's Promotions: *

First Responders & Military Appreciation Night: On the 20th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11, the M-Braves will pay tribute throughout the night. All First Responders and Military get two free tickets courtesy of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and Commissioner Sean Tindell. The evening's colors will be presented by the Mississippi Highway Patrol Honor Guard. There will also be a pregame flyover by the 172nd Airlift Wing of the Mississippi Air National Guard.

Post-Game Fireworks: Stay after the game for an exciting Patriotic Themed Post-Game Fireworks Show presented by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and Commissioner Sean Tindell'

City of Ridgeland Night: Celebrating the citizens and businesses of Ridgeland, presented by Humana.