Gordon Posts Strong Start in M-Braves 7-1 Loss to Smokies 

PEARL, MS - RHP Tanner Gordon spun five innings of one-run ball, but the Mississippi Braves (56-66, 27-26) lost 7-1 to the Tennessee Smokies (66-57, 29-25) on Thursday night at Trustmark Park.

Gordon was the third straight starter to go five innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks. He struck out six batters. In his last six starts, Gordon is 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA over 31 innings.

The Smokies snuck across a run in the second on two soft base hits to lead 1-0. The score stayed there until Tennessee scored three runs in back-to-back innings to lead 7-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

The M-Braves then loaded the bases. Javier Valdes walked, Cade Bunnell roped a single to left field and Landon Stephens was hit by a pitch. Logan Brown brought in a run with a groundout to first to make it 7-1. The M-Braves left two in scoring position in the inning.

Brown went 1-for-4 with an RBI. He has seven RBI in his last five games.

Jalen Miller led off the eighth with a double. Valdes and Bunnell each walked to load the bases again, but Jordan Cowan struck out to end the threat.

Miller went 2-for-4 with a double and played great defense at second base. In the fourth, he leaped up to make a tremendous snow-cone grab on a 103 mile per hour liner from Bryce Ball.

The M-Braves left the bases loaded again in the ninth, totaling 12 runners left on base.

Justyn-Henry Malloy recorded a hit in the ninth and has a hit in nine of his last 10 games.

The fourth game of the series is on Friday at Trustmark Park. RHP Alan Rangel (5-6, 4.92) makes the start for Mississippi against LHP Jordan Wicks (0-3, 5.57) for Tennessee. The first pitch is at 6:35 pm CT, with coverage starting at 6:20 pm CT on 103.9 WYAB, First Pitch App, and MiLB.tv.