PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida – Canada’s hopes of playing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are done after suffering a heartbreaking, 6-5 loss Saturday to the Dominican Republic on the final day of competition at the WBSC Baseball Americas Olympic Qualifier.

Canada had taken a 5-4 lead in the top of the eighth on a Daniel Pinero (Toronto, ON) RBI single, but the Dominicans replied with a pair of runs in the home half of the inning with the game-winning hit coming on a Julio Rodríguez two-out single to centre to give them a 6-5 lead.

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Pinero led Canada’s offence with four RBI including a two-run homer in the first that gave Canada a 3-0 lead before adding a solo blast in the sixth that drew Canada even after the Dominicans scored four unanswered runs to take a one-run lead after five innings.

The loss means that Canada will finish fourth in the Super Round standings with an 0-3 record and out of contention of continuing on a path to secure a spot in the Tokyo Olympics.  On Friday night, Canada kept things close against the USA, trailing 3-1 in the eighth, but ended up with a 10-1 loss after an unusual call, and subsequent eighth inning protest, ultimately resulted in the USA scoring seven runs in the bottom of the inning and putting the game out of reach.

“Needless to say, we’re disappointed,” said Canadian Manager Ernie Whitt. “I will say this, I’m very proud of all the guys, the effort they put forth.

“We left everything on the field, and that’s something that Team Canada has always done. I know that’s all we ask them to come and give it their best, and if we fall short, then that’s the way it was meant to be.”

“Our guys have nothing to hang their heads about,” continued Whitt. “I’m very proud of the way they played. They conducted themselves extremely well.

“It’s a great group of guys that seems like (Director of Men’s National Teams) Greg Hamilton’s always bringing together for us and they get along, it’s almost like a fraternity. Everyone has their back and that’s just the way that this organization is built.”

Starting pitcher Andrew Albers (North Battleford, SK) battled through four innings on the mound where he allowed three runs on seven and three walks with two strikeouts.

Veteran arms Dustin Molleken (Regina, SK), Evan Rutckyj (Windsor, ON), Scott Mathieson (Aldergrove, BC) and John Axford (Port Dover, ON) followed with Mathieson taking the loss.

“I’m sure you know all the guys in the clubhouse but those veteran guys, they’re our leaders, all of them,” said Pinero after the game. “They’re all leaders. And I know this might be their last time pitching on a big stage like this, and I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for me and all the younger guys on this team.

“Scott Richmond, Axford, Mathieson, all those guys, and a lot more. They all take care of us. They lead this team. Without them, we wouldn’t have gotten this far, that’s for sure. On and off the field.”

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida – Larry Walker made Canadian baseball history becoming just the second Canadian-born player elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2020.

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He threw out the ceremonial first pitch Monday night before Canada’s opening game at the WBSC Baseball Americas Olympic Qualifier against Colombia, sat down in the stands and watched history unfold as three Canadian pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter as part of a 7-0 win.

Veteran hurler Andrew Albers (North Battleford, SK) was brilliant on the mound working seven innings with  seven strikeouts and retiring 20 batters in a row after a one-out hit-by-pitch in the top of the first inning.

“I can’t say enough about (Albers),” said Canada manager Ernie Whitt. “He commanded the strike zone, changed speeds and had their hitters off balance and when they did put the ball in play we defended very well.”

Relievers Brendan McGuigan and Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, MB) both tossed scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth to preserve the no-hitter and win for Canada.

The no-hitter is the first thrown in Baseball Canada national team history since London, Onatrio’s Harry Muir no-hit France, 10-0, at the World Youth (U18) Championships in Cuba in 1990.

“It was a great way to start the tournament,” said Albers. “It’s really nice when the offence goes out and puts up six runs for you and we played great defence behind me so all in all it’s a great night for us and a great start.”

Canada’s offence was led by Jacob Robson (Windsor, ON) who collected three hits including a bases clearing triple in the second inning to put Canada in front by five after he scored a run as part of a two-run first.

Connor Panas (Etobicoke, ON) followed with a single to centre to score Robson and chase Colombia starting pitcher Erling Moreno from the game.

In the seventh, Canada’s Eric Wood (Oshawa, ON) drilled a monster solo home run to left that gave Canada a 7-0 lead.

“We’ve been talking about cutting (our) swings down and putting the ball in play so that things can happen (offensively),” said Whitt. “Colombia had three errors today and walks so that helped too.”

The story of the game was Albers who has pitched in some big contests over the last ten years with a national team uniform on including picking up the win when Canada won a gold medal at the 2011 Pan Am Games.

At 35-years-old, he’s counted on as a leader in Canada’s clubhouse.

“It’s nice coming here, getting into this environment where everything that goes on during a game, good or bad, it doesn’t matter as long as you win,” he said.

Canada will travel to St. Lucie tomorrow to face Cuba (0-1) at Clover Park with the first pitch set for 7PM ET.

The game can be seen on the CBC Sports streaming platform in Canada and ESPN + in the United States.

Links:

WBSC Baseball Americas Olympic Qualifier website
CANADA Roster
CANADA Bios

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OTTAWA – Baseball Canada is pleased to announce the names of 25 athletes selected to represent Canada at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Baseball Americas Qualifier in Palm Beach and St. Lucie, Florida from May 31^st to June 5^th.

The winner of the eight-team tournament will earn a spot in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic baseball competition while the second and third place finishers will head to Mexico for the WBSC Baseball Final Qualifier (dates are to-be-confirmed) where the sixth and final nation to compete at the Olympics will be determined.

Ernie Whitt will be managing Canada for the 19th time in his career at the Americas qualifier with veteran coaches Denis Boucher, Tim Leiper, Paul Quantrill and Baseball Canada’s Director of National Teams Greg Hamilton on the coaching staff.

Whitt, who’s guided Canada to four Pan Am Games medals (two gold, one silver and one bronze), at all four World Baseball Classic events and the 2004 Athens Olympics, has an all-time coaching record of 71-36 with Team Canada in international competition.

He will oversee a roster at the Americas qualifier that includes former major leaguers Andrew Albers, John Axford, Chris Leroux, Scott Mathieson, Dustin Molleken and Scott Richmond with 12 players named to the roster (Michael Crouse, Wes Darvill, Tyson Gillies, Ryan Kellogg, Leroux, Jonathan Malo, Will McAffer, Molleken, Connor Panas, Richmond, Evan Rutckyj and Eric Wood) part of Canada’s silver medal winning squad at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.

Also named to the roster is veteran catcher Kellin Deglan along with infielder Jesse Hodges who were both part of Canada’s Pan Am gold medal winning squad in 2015, while Daniel Pinero and Jacob Robson also bring international experience at the junior and senior levels.

“We have a lot of experience on this roster, players that are familiar with international baseball and know what tournament baseball is all about,” said Ernie Whitt. “Our team realizes what’s at stake at this event so we’re highly motivated to compete for ourselves, our teammates and most of all, for Canada.”

The national team last competed internationally in 2019 at the WBSC Premier12 in Korea earning a win over Cuba before falling to host Korea and Australia in opening round play.

“It’s been a long time since our players have played with a Canadian uniform on so we’re really looking forward to getting back on the field as a group and the intense competition that international baseball provides.”

All international baseball events were either cancelled or postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Players named to the roster who’ve competed internationally as part of Baseball Canada’s Junior National Team program in the past include Ben Onyshko, JD Osborne, Josue Peley and Travis Seabrooke while pitchers Trevor Brigden and Brendan McGuigan will be representing Canada for the first time in international play.

Canada will compete in Group B and face Colombia on May 31^st before taking on Cuba on June 1^st and Venezuela on June 2^nd.

Group A consists of host USA along with the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Puerto Rico with the top two countries in each group advancing to the Super Round.

Teams will play two Super Round games with head-to-head contests from the opening round counting towards the Super Round standings.

The team with the best Super Round record will be declared the winner and become the fifth National Team to advance to the baseball tournament of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, joining already qualified nations host Japan, South Korea, Mexico and Israel.

Canada will hold a brief training camp beginning May 25^th where they will play the first of two contests with Team USA at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches before traveling to Holman Stadium in Vero Beach for the second match-up on May 26^th.

Canada will then face the Ft. Lauderdale Stars on May 27^th before holding team practices on the days leading up to the opening game against Colombia on May 31^st.

Pitchers 

Andrew Albers – North Battleford, SK
John Axford – Port Dover, ON
Trevor Brigden – North York, ON
Ryan Kellogg – Whitby, ON
Chris Leroux – Mississauga, ON
Scott Mathieson – Aldergrove, BC
Will McAffer – North Vancouver, BC
Brendan McGuigan – Austin, TX
Dustin Molleken – Regina, SK
Ben Onyshko – Winnipeg, MB
Scott Richmond – Vancouver, BC
Evan Rutckyj – Windsor, ON
Travis Seabrooke – Peterborough, ON

Catchers 

Kellin Deglan – Langley, BC
JD Osborne – Whitby, ON

Infielders 

Wes Darvill – Richmond, BC
Jesse Hodges – Victoria, BC
Jonathan Malo – Joliette, QC
Josue Peley – Montréal, QC
Daniel Pinero – Toronto, ON
Eric Wood – Oshawa, ON

Outfielders 

Michael Crouse – Port Moody, BC
Tyson Gillies – Vancouver, BC
Connor Panas – Etobicoke, ON
Jacob Robson – Windsor, ON