05/06/2021 2 Minute Read

Luke Willliams’ homer lifts USA past Canada

Williams (2-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI) and Durran (3-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI) both had multi-hit games to lead a well-balanced United States attack.

The United States downed Canada 10-1 on Friday night at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, improving to 2-0 in the super round standings and moving one game closer to securing a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

BOX SCORE

While the final score would indicate that the game was one-sided, it was actually a two-run game going into the bottom of the eighth inning. That’s when the United States erupted for seven runs to end Canada’s hopes of a late game comeback.

The United States scored the first run of the night when Eric Filia singled through the left side to plate Jaren Durran in the bottom of the third, but Canada responded with a Jacob Robson homer that tied the game 1-1 in the top of the fourth.

Luke Williams answered Robson’s blast with his own solo-shot in the bottom of the fifth, and the United States would never relinquish the lead. Eddy Alvarez brought home the third run for the Americans in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out triple into the right field corner that scored Mark Kolozsvary all the way from first.

Williams (2-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI) and Durran (3-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI) both had multi-hit games to lead a well-balanced United States attack. Six different players finished the night with at least one RBI for the US, while seven scored at least one run. All nine starters reached base safely.

Drew Parish was impressive on the mound, earning the victory in his first outing of the tournament by firing two innings of two-hit ball with two strikeouts. Five different US pitchers combined to strike out nine while walking just one.

Robson led the way for Canada, going 2-for-3 with the homer, and Chris Leroux tossed 4 1/3 innings of relief to keep his team close until it all unraveled in the eighth. Five of the seven runs scored by the United States in the bottom of the eighth were unearned.

The loss ends Canada’s chances of winning the Baseball Americas Qualifier, and Canada will have to win on Saturday afternoon against the Dominican Republic to avoid a guaranteed fourth-place finish. The United States, meanwhile, can punch a ticket to Tokyo with a win on Saturday night against Venezuela. Both games will take place at Clover Park in Port Saint Lucie.