Chattanooga, TN - Luke Hudson worked eight scoreless innings to lead Chattanooga to a 6-0 series-opening win over the Carolina Mudcats at Bell South Park on Friday night. Hudson, who pitched for the Mudcats (10-17) in 2001, improved his record to 7-7 after starting the season 1-6.

Hudson allowed two hits, walking one and fanned six in the win.

Jesse Gutierrez drove in four runs, including a three-run homer in the fifth inning against Nic Ungs (L, 5-7, 7ip, 8h, 6r, 4er, 2w, 3k). Ungs worked seven innings, allowing eight hits and six runs.

The Lookouts (18-8) took a 1-0 lead in the first on a two-out single by Gutierrez, who drove in William Bergolla, who doubled twice in the contest.

Two unearned runs moved the Lookouts lead to 3-0 in the third inning. Jimmy Goelz committed an error at shortstop to start the inning. Bergolla doubled home Jeff Bannon from first base, then scored on a two-out single by Chris Denorfia.

Gutierrez' 15th homer followed two walks in the fifth inning.

Carolina fell 8 1/2 games behind in the East, losing their fourth straight game.

Randy Messenger (ND, 1ip, 1h, 0r, 0w, 0k) worked the eighth inning for Carolina.

Jeff Fulchino (3-3, 4.80) starts the second game of the set against Steve Kelly (7-5, 3.22) at 7:15 PM ET on Saturday night.

Carolina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 --- 0 3 2 5
Chattanooga 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 x --- 6 9 0 5

WP - Hudson (7-7)
LP - Ungs (5-7)
S - None.

HR - Gutierrez (15)

Time: 2:10
Att: 5,113

Notes: SS Jimmy Goelz, playing for the first time since June 14th after three bouts with a right hamstring injury, left the game in the third inning with a tweak of the same hamstring. Rex Rundgren replaced Goelz, going 1-3 with a double... 2B Matt Demarco, whose 11-game hitting streak ended Thursday night, opened the game with a double against Hudson on his second pitch. Demarco was batting leadoff for the first time since 2002 as Billy Hall was held out of the lineup.

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