The streaky Chattanooga Lookouts ended a five-game losing skid Friday night at AT&T Field, 5-1 over Montgomery.
Omar Bencomo improved to 4-0 after pitching seven innings and allowing one run on four hits, striking out seven and walking two. Todd Van Steensel worked a scoreless, though dramatic, eighth inning, then retired the Biscuits in order in the ninth for his fourth save.
Chattanooga maintains a half-game lead over Jackson, a 5-2 winner over Birmingham, in the Southern League's North Division.
The Lookouts (29-19), who had win streaks of five and six games earlier this month and had won 16 of 18 before the losing streak, made the most of their seven hits. Alex Perez's sacrifice fly brought home Edgar Corcino, who had led off the second inning with a triple, for the game's first run. Later in the inning Brian Navarreto added an RBI double and Tanner English a run-scoring single for a 3-0 lead.
Chattanooga added single runs in the fifth and eighth innings. English singled, stole second and scored on Zander Wiel's sacrifice fly in the fifth, and Chris Paul scored in the eighth on a passed ball. Montgomery's lone run came via Brandon Lowe's homer in the sixth.
Van Steensel loaded the bases with two out in the eighth on a hit by pitch, a walk and a single but retired David Rodriguez on a fly to right field to end the Biscuits' biggest threat.
English was 2-for-2 and walked twice, while Paul scored a pair of runs to lead the Lookouts. The teams will continue the series tonight at 7:15, with Anthony Marzi (1-3, 3.83 ERA) taking the mound for Chattanooga.