USA vs Canada: US beat Canada 5-3 to set up World Baseball Classic semis with Dominican Republic

Team USA punched its ticket to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) semifinals with a 5-3 win over Canada on Friday night, riding a sharp early performance and a lockdown finish from the bullpen. Aaron Judge helped set the tone, doubling in the first inning before coming around in a rally that gave the Americans an early edge. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brice Turang each collected two hits as the US offense did enough to build a cushion, then leaned on its relievers to slam the door. The victory sends the Americans into a semifinal showdown with the Dominican Republic on Sunday in Miami. It also marks the third straight time the United States has reached the WBC semifinals, and the fourth overall.



Canada, playing in the quarterfinals for the first time, kept things interesting with a sixth-inning push. Tyler Black drove in one run before Bo Naylor launched a two-run homer to right, trimming the US lead to 5-3 and briefly shifting the pressure. But the American bullpen responded in a big way. David Bednar escaped a dangerous seventh inning with runners on second and third and no outs, striking out two of the next three hitters. In the ninth, Mason Miller took over and struck out all three batters he faced to seal the save.



Logan Webb gave the US a steady start, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out five over 4 2/3 innings. Bobby Witt Jr. also flashed his athleticism on defense with a leaping catch in the second that stopped a potential Canadian threat.



The US added key insurance runs in the sixth when Turang and Crow-Armstrong each delivered RBI singles. That extra breathing room proved crucial after Canada’s late surge.

https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2032647836639096868

For Canada, the loss ended a historic run. The team dropped to 1-5 all-time against the United States in World Baseball Classic play, but its first quarterfinal appearance still marked an important step forward on the international stage.