World Baseball Classic: Canada 18, Great Britain 8
Coming off their defeat at the hands of the U.S., the Brits were no match for a more experienced Canada lineup in a hit-first, ask-questions-later game.
Great Britain actually grabbed a quick 3-0 lead when Chavez Young walked, worked his way around the bases and stole home on the tail end of a double steal that sent Matt Koperniak to second. Koperniak scored on Nick Ward’s base hit, and Ward scored on Darnell Sweeney’s single.
That three-run lead lasted only a bit longer than it took Canada to get to the bat rack. Canada leadoff hitter Edouard Julien hit the first pitch he saw over the fence in right for a home run, Freddie Freeman walked, and Tyler O’Neill singled. Three hits, two walks and an error later, the Canadians led 5-3.
Great Britain made it 5-4 when Trayce Thompson’s second inning single brought home Chavez Young. But Abraham Toro scored O’Neill, who had walked.
And that’s the way it went, the Canadians consistently trumping Great Britain’s offensive efforts. Great Britain scored once in the third; Canada scored four times. Great Britain scored in the fourth; Canada retaliated with six. That made it 16-8 by the game’s halfway point.
O’Neill had four hits and drove in four runs for Canada. Jacob Robson, a Tigers farmhand, also had four hits and scored four runs in the 17-hit Canada attack.
Toro and Cubs farmhand Owen Caissie each drove in three runs for Canada.
Seven Great Britain pitchers complicated their own efforts by issuing 16 free passes atop the 17-hit Canada attack. That’s 33 baserunners of 85 batters faced, a nifty .388 team on base percentage for Canada.