Tuesday marked the start of the penultimate week of Braves minor league baseball as Gwinnett plays out the final nine games of its 2022 season. With the news earlier today that Justyn-Henry Malloy was advanced to Triple-A, his third level of the minors this season, fans of Braves prospects will be keeping an extra close eye on the Stripers.

Malloy didn’t disappoint in his first International League appearance, mashing a home run in his first Triple-A at bat. Starter Freddy Tarnok threw five innings of two-hit ball as Gwinnett comfortably took care of Memphis. Let’s get into it.

(66-74) Gwinnett Stripers 6, (69-73) Memphis Redbirds 3

Box Score

• Justyn-Henry Malloy, LF: 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 2 R, .289/.407/.461 (all levels)
• Ryan Goins, SS: 3-5, 2 RBI, .217/.243/.259
• Pat Valaika, 2B: 2-3, RBI, BB, .243/.304/.373
• Freddy Tarnok, SP: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 3.68 ERA

What an impression for Justyn-Henry Malloy in 2022. After starting the season in High-A Rome as a fringe Top-30 Braves prospect, Malloy has rocketed up prospect lists – similarly to how the baseball left his bat in the second inning. On a 2-2 count, Malloy belted an off-speed hanger well beyond the left center field wall at AutoZone Park in his first Triple-A at bat. It’s his 17^th home run and 76^th RBI over 126 games across three levels this year.

Malloy worked a 10-pitch walk in the fourth inning and came around to score his second run of the game on a two-run single from Ryan Goins. A sacrifice fly in the ninth gave Malloy a second RBI as he continues to build on a magical 2022 season before heading out to the Arizona Fall League in October.

Gwinnett scored the decisive runs in the fourth against Memphis as three consecutive walks to start the inning loaded the bases before Goins’ two-run single. Pat Valaika added another via a second bases-loaded hit in the inning, but Goins was thrown out at home trying to tack on an addition run to end the inning.

Freddy Tarnok, got the start and was solid on the mound, allowing just two hits and two walks over five innings to pick up the win. Tarnok struck out six, but did get tagged for a solo home run, his only run given up on the night.

It got a bit hairy in the ninth as Michael Tonkin came in to earn the save. A single and hit by pitch sandwiched a strikeout to bring the tying run to the plate for the Redbirds with one out, but Tonkin got K’d the final two hitters to close out the win