USA Defeats Rival Canada 5-3 in 2026 World Baseball Classic Quarterfinal
Team Canada was unable to redeem their rivalry at the World Baseball Classic after Team USA swept both Women’s and Men’s Hockey in the 2026 Winter Olympics. In their first WBC Quarterfinal appearance, Canada was looking for their first win against the 2017 champions since 2006. The USA played a dominant first half of the game, but when they lost their momentum, Canada picked it up in the sixth inning and almost tied it in the seventh. Fortunately, pitchers David Bednar and Mason Miller saved the 5-0 lead that starter Logan Webb set up for them. Despite the loss, Team Canada stayed in it until the last inning.
Michael Soroka started pitching for Team Canada. He only let in one run, but walked Team USA’s lead-off batter Bobby Witt Jr. and gave seven-time all-star Aaron Judge a double. Witt was able to score on teammate Kyle Schwarber’s groundout to first. Logan Webb started off Team USA’s pitching by giving up two singles in the bottom of the first to Otto Lopez and Tyler O’Neill, but ultimately got two strikeouts to finish off the inning. The second inning was a quick one, with Canada winning, getting a one, two, three inning, and Webb getting one strikeout for the USA while the infield saves him with the other two. The top of the third was eventful with Team USA getting two more runs off of Alex Bregman’s trick single and some errors from Canada’s infield. Canada swiftly switched out their pitchers to finish off the inning, but the USA got their own one, two, three with two line-outs and a fly-out at the bottom of the third.
Minor League pitcher Micah Ashman is able to keep Team USA to their three-run lead in the fourth, but Webb is able to do the same in the bottom. Canada stays strong with a second one, two, three inning to start the fifth, and while they don’t score, they are able to end Webb’s pitching after one walk, four hits, and five strikeouts. Things heated up again in the sixth with Team USA scoring more runs off singles from Brice Turang and Pete Crow-Armstrong. However, Canada responds by getting three runs of their own on a two-out rally, including a single from Tyler Black and a two-run homer from Bo Naylor.
The seventh inning starts swiftly with Blue Jays minor leaguer Adam Macko getting two strikeouts. Canada started another rally in the bottom of the seventh and even had the tying run in scoring position, but Bedar saved his team’s lead with two intense strikeouts at the plate that had the crowd spinning their rally towels. Neither team is able to increase their score when both defenses get three quick outs in the eighth. Despite Matt Wilkinson's two walks in the ninth, he is still able to strike out Bryce Harper to give his team one last chance. Yet, Team USA’s closer, Miller, struck out Canada’s last three batters with his 102mph fastball to win it 5-3.
Team USA will go on to face Team Dominican Republic on Sunday at 8 p.m. EST in the World Baseball Classic Semifinals. They hope to reach the championship match in Miami next week against one of the winners of tomorrow’s quarterfinals. After the game, Bedar credits his trust in his catcher, Cal Raleigh. Crow-Armstrong said that Team USA’s ability to win despite not being the cleanest shows that when they bring their best for the rest of the tournament, they have everything they need to bring home their second World Baseball Classic Title.
