03/13/26 10:59:00
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03/13 22:58 CDT U.S. beats Canada 5-3, advances to the World Baseball Classic
semifinals
U.S. beats Canada 5-3, advances to the World Baseball Classic semifinals
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) --- Aaron Judge doubled and Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brice Turang
each had two hits as the United States beat Canada 5-3 on Friday night to reach
the World Baseball Classic semifinals.
The U.S. squad rebounded after an 8-6 loss to Italy in pool play left them
needing help to advance to this round.
The Americans move on to face the Dominican Republic in a semifinal on Sunday
in Miami, with Paul Skenes starting against the Dominicans' Luis Severino. It
will be the team's third straight appearance in the semifinals and the fourth
overall.
It's another big win for the U.S. over its neighbors to the north, coming after
the U.S. hockey team beat Canada 2-1 in overtime to win the gold medal at the
Milan Olympics last month.
Bo Naylor hit a two-run homer in Canada's three-run sixth that cut the deficit
to two runs. But the U.S. bullpen closed it out, capped by Mason Miller
striking out the side in the ninth for the save.
Canada, which was in the quarterfinals for the first time, fell to 1-5 against
the U.S. in the WBC.
Canada trailed by five runs when Owen Caissie walked with one out in the sixth
and moved to second on a groundout by Abraham Toro. Tyler Black's RBI single
off Brad Keller cut the lead to 5-1.
Naylor's shot to the second deck in right field came on Gabe Speier's fifth
pitch and got Canada within 5-3. It was the 10th home run the U.S. has allowed
in five games in the tournament.
Canada had a shot to close the gap in the seventh when it had runners on second
and third with no outs. But David Bednar retired the next three batters, with
two strikeouts, to escape the jam.
U.S. starter Logan Webb allowed four hits and walked one with five strikeouts
in 4 2/3 innings.
Bobby Witt Jr. was on with one out in the first when Judge doubled before Witt
scored on a groundout by Kyle Schwarber to give the U.S. an early lead. The
double by Judge was the only extra-base hit of the night for the U.S.
Canada had a runner on first with two outs in the second when Witt made a
leaping catch on a ball hit by Edouard Julien to end the inning.
The bases were loaded with two outs in the third when Alex Bregman singled on a
ground ball to Toro. His throw to first sailed over Josh Naylor's head and into
the dugout and two runs scored to make it 3-0.
Roman Anthony singled with one out in the sixth before a walk by Cal Raleigh.
Brice Turang singled on a grounder to center field to score Anthony and push
the lead to 4-0. Crow-Armstrong sent the next pitch into center field for an
RBI single before Witt grounded into a double play to end the inning.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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