US crushes Canada 5-3 to storm into WBC semifinals
The United States secured a 5-3 victory over Canada to advance to the World Baseball Classic semifinals. The win marks their third consecutive appearance at this stage and fourth overall. They will now face the Dominican Republic in Miami on Sunday.
The US took control early, scoring a run in the first inning. Aaron Judge contributed with a double, while Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brice Turang each recorded two hits during the game.
Canada fought back in the sixth, with Bo Naylor hitting a two-run homer to cut the deficit to two runs. However, the US held on, with reliever Mason Miller striking out the side in the ninth to seal the save.
Starting pitcher Logan Webb delivered a strong performance, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out five over 4 2/3 innings. The victory comes after the US rebounded from an earlier 8-6 loss to Italy in pool play.
With this result, Canada's record against the US in the WBC now stands at 1-5.
The US will next meet the Dominican Republic, who have reached the semifinals five times, including a runner-up finish in 2013. The matchup is set for Sunday in Miami, where both teams will compete for a spot in the final.
