Team USA Jumps On Canada Early, Hangs on To Advance to World Baseball Classic Semifinals
Team USA can breathe a heavy sigh of relief after stymying Canada’s comeback attempt, 5-3, in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals. The Americans had as big as a 5-0 lead entering the bottom half of the sixth inning before the Canadians started to make things interesting. However, the United States bullpen was electric from the sixth inning on, shutting the door on any chance of an implosion.
The U.S. offense wasn’t as explosive as it has been in other games, considering no player smashed a home run for the first time this tournament. Instead, it was an offense more reliant on singles. In fact, of the five runs scored, four came via single-base hits, while one came via a groundout. For Canada, it is now 0-3 against the U.S. in “major” international competitions in 2026.
Team USA Offense Did Just Enough To Pull Off Victory
Getting off to a fast start had to be on Team USA‘s agenda, considering the scrutiny being levied by fans and media leading up to this game. Fortunately, the squad was able to accomplish said agenda in the first inning.
Bobby Witt Jr. led off the first with a walk. After a Bryce Harper flyout, Aaron Judge hit a line drive double to move Witt Jr. to third base. With Canada moving the infield in on defense, Kyle Schwarber got things started for the Americans with a groundout to drive in Witt Jr. for a 1-0 lead. Not the sexiest way to uplift Team USA’s confidence, but still effective.
The United States was held to a scoreless second inning, but its scoring ways would continue in the third. Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has had a very good WBC showing, started with a base hit. After a groundout by Witt Jr. and a forceout by Harper, Judge walked to move Harper to second.
Schwarber then singled to load the bases for Alex Bregman, who had an infield single of his own to score both Harper and Judge for a 3-0 lead. Judge scored on the throwing error by Canada’s Third Baseman, Abraham Toro.
With one out in the sixth inning, Roman Anthony got on base with a groundball single past Second Baseman Edouard Julien. A Cal Raleigh walk meant runners on first and second for the eighth hitter, Brice Turang. The Brewer roped a base hit up the middle to score Anthony for a 4-0 lead for Team USA. Crow-Armstrong tacked on another run with a base knock to stretch the cushion to 5-0.
Pitching For Team USA Has One Bad Inning, Dominant Otherwise
On the pitching front, Team USA received an outstanding start from Logan Webb. Webb tossed 4.2 innings of scoreless ball, adding five strikeouts with just one walk to earn his second consecutive victory.
The tandem of Brad Keller and Gabe Speier was pretty shaky in the bottom half of the sixth. With two outs and a runner on second, Keller allowed Tyler Black of the Brewers to drive home Owen Caissie for Canada’s first run. Keller was then replaced by Speier to face Bo Naylor.
Naylor, in a 2-2 count, belted a two-run homer off Speier to right field to close the gap to 5-3. It was Team USA’s 10th long ball allowed of the tournament, which is the most given up by any team that is still alive in the World Baseball Classic.
This would be the only inning where Canada found success offensively, as the back end of the U.S. bullpen was just too much to handle. David Bednar came on in the seventh, and while he started his outing by giving up back-to-back singles, the New York Yankee averted trouble and sprinkled in two strikeouts in the process.
Garrett Whitlock and Mason Miller emphatically tore down any hope for Canada to come back, not allowing a single baserunner and adding four K’s in the final two innings of the game to lift Team USA to the semifinals.
Early Look At WBC Semifinals Matchup Against Dominican Republic
This was a quality victory for Team USA, and it reaffirmed its commitment to winning the whole tournament. While the Maple Leaf was a formidable opponent, the Dominican Republic is coming off a 10-0 dismantling of Korea via the mercy rule.
The D.R. has had a great tournament, scoring the most runs in the WBC (51) while its 1.98 team ERA is second. For those who are wondering, the U.S. is second in runs scored (40) and 10th in team ERA (3.40).
If the Americans want to give themselves the best chance of getting back to the final, the pitching will have to improve. Paul Skenes is supposed to get the start; his last was electric, fanning seven in four scoreless innings. Being able to hold down the D.R. offense could allow the U.S. to score just enough runs to come out on top.
Team USA plays the Dominican Republic on Sunday, 8 ET in Miami.
