Mallards Win at Illinois, 7-2
<Minnesota:team#5> beat <Illinois:team#74> on the strength of starter <Arturo Valadez:player#163>'s fine effort. The right-hander led his team to a win, 7-2. Valadez went 8 innings to notch the win. He scattered 6 hits, walked 3, and struck out 4. His record improves to 5-4.  Minnesota is now 27-34, Illinois 23-38.

Minnesota used the bat of <Orlando Méndez:player#11354> to get the win. The third baseman hammered a 3-run  home run in the top of the first inning to put the Mallards ahead, 3-0. It was his lone hit in 5 at-bats, but it did its damage.

"We played hard and won," said Valadez. "Sometimes, baseball really is that easy.'



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