Team USA beats Canada, punches ticket to WBC semifinal clash with Dominican Republic

HOUSTON – The United States needed help to move on to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic. When they got there on Friday, the Americans reasserted themselves behind Logan Webb with a 5-3 victory over Canada before 38,054 at Daikin Park.

The win sets up a star-studded semifinal with the Dominican Republic on Sunday in Miami. The Dominicans thumped Korea, 10-0, to remain undefeated in the tournament, having outscored opponents by 41 runs in their five victories.

The United States was coming off a surprising loss to Italy, whose subsequent victory over Mexico allowed the Americans to continue. Now they are poised to use their best starter, Paul Skenes, against the fearsome Dominican lineup.

Canada managed two singles in the first, but Webb recovered with two strikeouts and faced no more trouble. He lasted 4⅔ innings, allowing four singles and a walk with six strikeouts.

Team USA mostly strung together walks and singles, including four that did not leave the infield, while nicking Canada for a run in the first and two each in the third and sixth. By the end of that inning, every hitter in the lineup had either a run or a single, a muted but well-balanced attack.

Without a big hit, though, the U.S. let Canada stay close. After Tyler Black’s run-scoring single chased Brad Keller with two outs in the sixth, Bo Naylor launched a Gabe Speier slider into the second deck in right for a two-run homer, cutting the Americans’ lead to 5-3.

Things got tighter in the seventh, when two singles and a passed ball put David Bednar in this spot: runners on second and third, no outs, and the 2-3-4 hitters due up. But Bednar responded, getting Josh Naylor to pop out before fanning Tyler O’Neill and Owen Caissie.

That ended the threat and kept the Americans on course for a victory – and for their biggest challenge yet in Miami.