The Mallards celebrated a Fourth of July victory in Canada Wednesday night, defeating the Thunder Bay Border Cats 6-2 to earn their first back-to-back wins since June 6-9, when Madison swept La Crosse and Mankato in a pair of two-game series.

Michael Hutts (2-2) gave his best performance of the year as the Mallards starting pitcher. The hurler threw 7.0 innings, allowing only three hits, two runs and two walks while striking out four Border Cats.

Hutts was relieved by Travis High (pictured) in the eighth for the newcomers second appearance of the season. High completed the gem, giving up just one hit and no runs during his time on the mound.

Border Cats starting pitcher Chris Lemay (1-2) was roughed up in the top of the third, allowing four runs off two hits and three hit batters. In the inning Randy Molina produced the first two runs of the game with a two-RBI double.

Madison elevated its position in the game in the fifth and sixth innings, as Jordan Comadena led off with a triple in the fifth — later to be driven in by Bobby Stevens. In the sixth, Evan LeBlanc reached on a single and advanced to third on a Molina single and a fielders choice. He soon crossed home after Justin Bristow grounded into a fielders choice.

Despite giving up a pair of runs in the seventh, the Mallards held off the Border Cats to take the game-one win over Thunder Bay, where they will remain Thursday to play the series finale at 6:05 p.m.