AT&T Field’s sign visible to travelers on Highway 27 read, “What is a Jukich? Find out tonight at 7:15.”

The message was posted Monday morning and remained throughout the day, and those who attended Chattanooga’s 5-1 defeat of Mississippi in the series finale learned what the rest of the Lookouts already know. Starting pitcher Ben Jukich may not be the team’s best-kept secret much longer.

Though Daryl Thompson remains the staff headliner, Jukich followed up last Wednesday’s complete-game victory at Carolina by allowing one run in six innings.

“We’re not even mentioning Jukich’s name right now. Let them think about Thompson,” Lookouts manager Mike Goff said. “Jukich is coming in on the back end of this rotation and has given us some stability. He’s been outstanding the last four times out. We don’t even want to mention his name yet.”

The Lookouts improved to 24-21 and are now six games back of Huntsville (30-15) in the Southern League North Division with 25 games remaining in the first half. They also improved to 7-2 in games in which Jukich has started.

Jukich had eight strikeouts in his six innings and lowered his ERA to 2.25.

“I’m thrilled right now,” he said. “Obviously I couldn’t ask to pitch any better than I have been. Tonight I struggled a little bit and got in a lot of deep counts, but the defense played really well behind me.”

Jukich was at 99 pitches after six innings, which is more than he threw at Carolina. He went into the eighth inning April 9 against Tennessee, so Goff didn’t see the need for the 6-foot-5 lefty from Minnesota to continue.

Chattanooga took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Jukich hit a one-out single to left and Shaun Cumberland followed with a home run over the bleachers in right. Chris Valaika and Tonys Gutierrez had consecutive two-out singles later in the inning before the torrid Eric Eymann drove them in with a double to right-center to make it 4-0.

Jukich took a shutout into the sixth, when the Braves’ Quentin Davis hit a two-out drive over the wall in right-center.

Monday marked the final scheduled appearance this season for former Lookouts and current Mississippi manager Phillip Wellman. His departure was much quieter than last season, when he had a post-ejection tirade during his first trip and relived it on his next visit when Lookouts officials gave fans the chance to imitate his grenade-style toss of the rosin bag.

“This is way better,” Wellman said.

The Lookouts are off today and play Wednesday at West Tenn. Sam LeCure (3-2, 4.78 ERA) is scheduled to start the series opener for Chattanooga, with Doug Fister (4-2, 3.14) scheduled for the Diamond Jaxx.

Goff planned to make this off day a true one, at least for the players.

“We’ve got to start preparing for West Tenn,” he said. “These are our old boys, the Seattle bunch, so this series could be very interesting.”

Braves rewarded

Mississippi has swept the latest round of Southern League honors, with outfielder Reid Gorecki earning hitter of the week and Todd Redmond pitcher of the week. Gorecki hit .423 last week with two homers and seven RBIs, while Redmond had a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings worked.

Gorecki was placed on the disabled list Monday after pulling a leg muscle in Sunday’s game at AT&T.