HOUSTON — Starter Logan Webb didn't give up a run and reliever David Bednar stifled a late-inning rally to help Team USA punch its ticket to the World Baseball Classic semifinals with a 5-3 win against Canada in Friday’s quarterfinal game at Daikin Park.
The Americans will play a semifinal game on March 15 in Miami against the Dominican Republic, which beat Korea 10-0 in a seven inning, run-rule victory earlier Friday night.
Team USA got key hits from the bottom of its lineup and capitalized on Canada’s defensive mistakes to take a 5-0 lead through the middle of the sixth inning. But the once-lopsided game turned into a nail-biter when Canada got to the USA bullpen for three runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Drama peaked in the seventh inning when Bednar got into a jam but retired three consecutive batters and stranded the tying runs in scoring position. As the crowd chanted, “USA! USA!” and whirled blue rally towels in the air, Bednar struck out Canada’s Owen Caissie to end the inning and triumphantly pounded his fist into his glove.
The victory improved the U.S.’s all-time record against Canada to 5-1 in the WBC. Canada’s lone Classic win against the U.S. was in 2006 during pool play.
Webb, the San Francisco Giants ace who gave up a leadoff home run but then didn't allow a hit for the next four innings in Team USA's WBC-opening win against Brazil, turned in another stellar outing against Canada. He struck out five batters across 4⅔ scoreless innings while allowing four hits and one walk.
The USA scored two earned runs and one unearned against Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka, who pitched 2⅔ innings but was let down by Canada’s sloppy defense behind him.
Bobby Witt Jr. led off the game with a walk, advanced on an Aaron Judge double and scored after multiple Canadian infielders narrowly avoided colliding with each other while trying to field Kyle Schwarber’s ground ball.
In the third inning, Alex Bregman’s RBI single and a throwing error by Canada third baseman Abraham Toro allowed the USA to expand its lead to 3-0 and chased Soroka from the mound.
The USA’s No. 8 and 9 hitters, Brice Turang and Pete Crow-Armstrong, each added an RBI single in the sixth inning before Canada got on the board when utility man Tyler Black hit an RBI single off reliever Brad Keller, followed by Bo Naylor’s two-run homer off Gabe Speier.
David Bednar took over on the mound in the eighth for Team USA and gave up back-to-back singles to Eduouard Julienand Otto Lopez to start the frame. Cal Raleigh's passed ball put the tying run in scoring position, putting Bednar in a precarious position.
But the right-hander got Josh Naylor to hit an infield pop up, then struck out Tyler O'Neill and Owen Caissie to strand the two runners in scoring position and send things to the eighth still 5-3.
Bo Naylor home runs cut lead to 5-3
Brad Keller was relieved in the bottom of the sixth after giving up an RBI single to Tyler Black for Canada's first run of the night. Lefty Gabe Speier came in and promptly gave up a two-run homer to Bo Naylor, suddenly the Americans' lead to just two runs.
Turang, Crow-Armstrong RBI singles makes it 5-0
With runners on first and second and one out, lefty Adam Macko came into replace Phillippe Aumont. Macko prompty gave up an RBI single to Brice Turang and one pitch later, another RBI knock to center field from Pete Crow-Armstrong extended the USA lead to 5-0 in the top of the sixth.
Logan Webb stats: USA up 3-0 through five
With a runner on second and two outs, Team USA manager Mark DeRosa pulled starter Logan Webb with the dangerous Josh Naylor at the plate for Canada. Brad Keller relieved Webb and got Naylor to ground out to first and strand a runner in scoring position.
Webb's final line: 4 ⅔ IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K on 70 pitches.
Through four: USA 3, Canada 0
USA starter Logan Webb is through four scoreless innings, scattering four hits with four strikeouts and no walks. The San Francisco GIats ace worked around Abraham Toro's one-out single in the bottom of the fourth.
USA tacks on in the third
Team USA loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the third on a walk and two singles. Canada pitcher Michael Soroka got Alex Bregman to hit a ground ball to third, but Abraham Toro airmailed his throw to first – allowing two runs to come home on what was scored an infield single.
Soroka gave way to left-hander Micah Ashman, who struck out Roman Anthony swinging to strand runners on second and third and avoid further damage.
Bobby Witt Jr. led off the game with a walk and moved to third on Aaron Judge's one-out double two batters later. With two runners in scoring position, cleanup hitter Kyle Schwarber hit an RBI groundout to first base that scored the game's first run.
USA baseball starting lineup vs Canada tonight
- Bob Nightengale: USA 6, Canada 3
- Gabe Lacques: USA 7, Canada 2
- Jesse Yomtov: USA 9, Canada 2
- Dominican Republic vs. South Korea – Friday in Miami
- United States vs. Canada – Friday in Houston (BUY TICKETS)
- Puerto Rico vs. Italy – Saturday in Houston (BUY TICKETS)
- Japan vs. Venezuela – Saturday in Miami (BUY TICKETS)
- Dominican/Korea vs. USA/Canada – Sunday in Miami (BUY TICKETS)
- Puerto Rico/Italy vs. Japan/Venezuela – Monday in Miami (BUY TICKETS)
- 2025: 15–11 | 3.22 ERA | 207.0 IP | 224 SO | 1.24 WHIP
- 2024: 13–10 | 3.47 ERA | 204.2 IP | 172 SO | 1.23 WHIP
- 2023: 11–13 | 3.25 ERA | 216.0 IP | 194 SO | 1.07 WHIP
- 2022: 15–9 | 2.90 ERA | 192.1 IP | 163 SO | 1.16 WHIP
- 2021: 11–3 | 3.03 ERA | 148.1 IP | 158 SO | 1.11 WHIP
- 2020: 3–4 | 5.47 ERA | 54.1 IP | 46 SO | 1.56 WHIP
- 2019: 2–3 | 5.22 ERA | 39.2 IP | 37 SO | 1.46 WHIP
Pitchers: David Bednar, Matthew Boyd, Garrett Cleavinger, Tim Hill, Clay Holmes, Griffin Jax, Brad Keller, Clayton Kershaw, Nolan McLean, Mason Miller, Paul Skenes, Tyler Rogers, Gabe Speier, Will Vest, Logan Webb, Garrett Whitlock
*Detroit Tigers pitcher Will Vest, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Tyler Rogers, and New York Yankees pitcher LHP Tim Hill replacing Skubal, Wacha and Yankees left-hander Ryan Yarbrough.
Infielders: Alex Bregman, Ernie Clement, Paul Goldschmidt, Bryce Harper, Gunnar Henderson, Brice Turang, Bobby Witt Jr.
Outfielders: Roman Anthony, Byron Buxton, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Aaron Judge, Kyle Schwarber
Pitchers: Logan Allen, Micah Ashman, Phillippe Aumont, Jordan Balazovic, Eric Cerantola, Indigo Diaz, Brock Dykxhoorn, Antoine Jean, Adam Macko, James Paxton, Cal Quantrill, Noah Skirrow, Michael Soroka, Jameson Taillon, Matt Wilkinson, Rob Zastryzny
Infielders: Josh Naylor, Edouard Julien, Abraham Toro, Otto Lopez, Tyler Black, Matt Davidson, Adam Hall
Outfielders: Tyler O'Neill, Owen Caissie, Denzel Clarke, Jacob Robson, Jared Young
Where to watch USA vs Canada WBC baseball game
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