Jacksonville, FL - Andrew Brown fanned eight over 5 1/3 innings as the Jacksonville Suns trumped the Carolina Mudcats 8-1 before 10,246 fans on Saturday night at the Baseball Grounds.

Brown carried a no-hitter into the fifth before Chip Ambres (2-4, 2B, K) stung a double down the left field line. In 19 1/3 innings this season, Brown has struck out 36 batters against five walks.

Jacksonville (13-3) went ahead 2-0 in the second inning on a two-run homer by Brennan King. Previously unbeaten Carolina starter Trevor Hutchinson (L, 3-1, 4IP, 9H, 6R, 6ER, 0W, 3K) was hit hard in his fourth start of the year, lasting just four innings. The Suns, who improved to 9-0 at home, scored three in the third and another in the fourth before Hutchinson's 57-pitch start ended.

Brown, meanwhile, was overpowering at the outset of the game. Brown retired the first 11 batters before walking two hitters in the fourth. Brown fanned eight hitters within the first four innings of the game, coming on the heels of a career-high 13 punchouts in his last start at Greenville.

Carolina threatened in the seventh, eighth and ninth, stranding six runners aboard. Reliever Clint Sodowsky permitted two runs during an eighth-inning rally that started with two outs and none on base.

The Mudcats (8-8) lone run scored in the eighth inning on an RBI-double by Jason Stokes. Mudcats pitcher Bill Murphy, who reached on a pinch-hit walk before the double, was gunned out at home plate on a hopping throw from deep in the left field corner by Jason Repko.

Ambres had two of the five Carolina hits. Todd Moser (ND, 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1W, 2K) made his seasonal debut, working a scoreless fifth inning. Jerrod Fuell (ND, 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0W, 2K) pitched two scoreless in middle relief.

The Mudcats remain in a third place tie with Tennessee, now five games behind the Suns in the East.

Nic Ungs (0-1, 4.97) starts the third game of the series Sunday at 3:05 PM ET against Jacksonville lefty Ryan Ketchner (1-0, 1.10).

Carolina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 --- 1 5 0 10
Jacksonville 0 2 3 1 0 0 0 2 x --- 8 13 0 8

WP - Brown (1-1)
LP - Hutchinson (3-1)
S - None.

HR - King (2)
Time: 2:39
Att: 10,246

Notes: LHP Todd Moser made his 2004 debut, working a scoreless inning on 18 pitches in the fifth. Moser had been sidelined by a groin injury suffered near the end of spring training.... The Mudcats are at .500 for the first time all season, 0-2 on their current eight-game road trip... Manager Ron Hassey was ejected in the seventh inning after arguing a check-swing call by plate umpire John Woods. Jimmy Goelz was batting with a 1-2 count, when Luis Gonzalez tossed a curveball near Goelz back foot. Goelz lifted his foot while switching the bat into his left hand. Goelz extended his arms outwardly while avoiding the pitch, when Woods, the crew chief, said Goelz swung at the pitch. Hassey, coaching third, argued the call, and was tossed... Hutchinson allowed nine hits in four innings Saturday night, and had allowed a total of nine hits in his first three starts, covering 18 innings. Hutchinson's ERA rose from 1.50 to 2.45.

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