Team Canada punched their ticket to the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals Wednesday night with a commanding 7-2 victory over Cuba in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The victory propelled Canada to the top of Pool A standings with a 3-1 record, tied with host nation Puerto Rico but holding the crucial head-to-head advantage. Cuba needed a win to advance but fell short at 2-2 in pool play.
Canada’s next challenge comes Friday when they square off against Team USA, which finished second in Pool B, in Houston.
Canadian pitcher Cal Quantrill dominated on the mound through five innings, surrendering just two hits and one unearned run. The strikeout parade continued as Quantrill recorded five strikeouts while reliever James Paxton added six more, combining for 11 of Canada’s 13 total strikeouts.
Abraham Toro provided the power with a home run, while Otto Lopez delivered the key blow with a two-run single. Owen Caissie contributed with both a sacrifice fly RBI and a run-scoring single. Brothers Bo and Josh Naylor each drove in runs as well.
For Cuba, Ariel Martinez managed an RBI single and collected three of the team’s five hits. Yoan Moncada’s double stood as the lone extra-base hit for the Cuban squad.
In Miami, the Dominican Republic completed a perfect 4-0 sweep of Pool D with a 7-3 triumph over Venezuela, though both teams had already secured quarterfinal spots before the first pitch.
Juan Soto launched the opening salvo with a first-inning home run, sparking a four-homer barrage for the Dominicans. Ketel Marte, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Fernando Tatis Jr. also went yard, with Tatis delivering the knockout punch via a three-run blast in the fourth inning that built a 7-3 advantage.
Guerrero paced the Dominican offense with a 3-for-4 performance, while Marte, Soto, and Tatis each collected two hits.
Venezuela mounted a late rally with two ninth-inning runs courtesy of a Luis Arraez sacrifice fly and an Elvis Alvarado error, but Alvarado recovered to induce a game-ending double play from Salvador Perez.
Maikel Garcia starred for Venezuela with a perfect 4-for-4 night including an RBI double. Starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez struggled through 2 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out five.
The Dominican Republic will face South Korea, Pool C’s runner-up, on Friday, while Venezuela takes on Pool C champion Japan on Saturday. Both quarterfinal matchups will take place in Miami.
