Canada vs USA summary: scores, stats and highlights | 2023 World Baseball Classic
Canada withers before USA onslaught in a 12-1 USA mercy rule victory
USA explodes as Canada falls to withering onslaught
Any lingering doubts over the USA's state of mind after their loss to Mexico were put to rest after only one inning as they unloaded their bats for nine runs in the first.
Canada's starter, Mitch Bratt was in over his head right from the start, as the A-ball pitcher faced a roster chock full of MLB All-Stars. He gave up four runs before getting pulled and while the Canadians ultimately managed to stop the flow of runs at nine, they never managed to get back into the fight after that.
For the USA, Lance Lynn had a spectacular outing, going five innings and giving up only one run. At no point did the Canadians seem to key onto his pitches and eventually it was only because of the strict pitch count limits imposed by the WBC that he gave way to Miles Mikolas.
In the end, the game was called after the seventh inning by invoking the mercy rule.
The road to advancing out of the group is now via a win over Colombia on Wednesday by the USA.
That is going to be it for our live coverage of the Canada vs USA game. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! Keep your eye on Diario AS USA's coverage of all the WBC and MLB news. We'll be back with more coverage of all the WBC action soon, until then have a great evening!
The top performers for the USA:
Mike Trout went 1 for 2 with a home run, two walks, three RBIs, and scoring twice.
Lance Lynn pitched 5.0 innings, giving up two hits and one earned run while striking out six.
Tim Anderson went 2 for 3, with a triple, a walk, an RBI, scoring twice and one stolen base.
Team USA tied the World Baseball Classic record for runs in an inning by blitzing Canada pitching with a nine-run bottom of the first. For the USA, they need to win their next game against Colombia on Wednesday to advance.
Down by more than 10 runs at the end of the seventh means that the mercy rule comes into force. The USA win 12-1
End of game
The Canadians never found their footing and were simply unable to get anything goint with their bats today, but the real killer was when they were jumped on in the first inning for nine runs and never really recovered.
Denzel Clarke watches three strikes go by to end the game. Not with a bang but with a whimper.
Bo Naylor now up and he lines one to left for out number two.
Abraham Toro comes to the plate and he pokes one through to right for a single.
Otto Lopez leads off for Canada and slaps a fastball to second. The throw to first is in time for the first out.
Top 7th
Some defensive shifting by the USA as Pete Alonso remains in the game at first, Jeff McNeil goes to left for Kyle Tucker, Bobby Witt Jr. replaces third baseman Nolan Arenado, and Kyle Higashioka is the new catcher.
Trea Turner jumps on the first pitch and flies out to left to end the inning.
Alonso gets a steady diet of sliders and sinker and goes down swinging. On the strike three pitch, Tim Anderson steals 2nd base.
JT Realmuto is going to be pinch-hit for. Pete Alonso takes the batter's box.
Three fastballs in a row and Tim Anderson singles on a soft line drive to right field.
He will have to face Tim Anderson
Ernie Whitt strides out to the mound and gives the ball to Cade Smith.
Tucker chases a hard fastball for strike three and that is the end of Loewen's evening.
Bottom 6th
Adam Loewen takes the mound and faces Kyle Tucker to get going.
He works a deep count and it goes full. The payoff is a big looping curve that drops in for a called strike.
Jared Young now at the plate with men on second and third and two outs.
Tyler O'Neill jumps on the first pitch and smacks a line drive to right for a double. Freeman is held up at third.
Freddie has hit two deep balls to left, just missing each time. This time he hits a slow dribbler to second. The throw to second gets Julien but the throw to first is too late to get Freeman. Two outs.
Freddie Freeman now up
He carves one to left field for a base hit.
Julien now for Canada.
Great selection of breaking pitches and Robson grounds one to second where Tim Anderson fields the ball and makes the throw to first for out number one.
Robson will lead off for Canada.
Top 6th
Team USA had to make a pitching change as Lance Lynn reached his pitch count limit. They bring on Miles Mikolas to take over the pitching duties.
His next pitch is lofted into center field for Tyler O'Neill to put it away and end the inning.
Arenado crushes one to the upper deck in left, but just foul.
On three more balls, Goldschmidt gets the walk, so Arenado comes to the plate with two outs and men on first and second.
Paul Goldschmidt comes to the plate and a pitch in the dirt allows Trout to advance to second.
On four straight pitches, Trout gets the walk.
Mike Trout will stand in at the plate now
Adam Loewen will now be brought on by Canada to replace Indigo Diaz on the mound.
Mookie Betts comes to the plate and works a deep count before getting a changeup that he can't hold up his check swing for strike three. Two down.
Bottom 5th
Cedric Mullins will lead off for the USA and he flies one out to left fielder, where Jacob Robson pulls it down for out number one.
Denzel Clarke now comes to the plate and works the count full before whiffing at a high fastball for strike three. That was Lance Lynn's 65th pitch so he will have to leave the game.
Bo Naylor comes to the plate and pops one sky-high to shallow left. Tucker hauls it in for the second out.
Abraham Toro smacks the first pitch to center for a single.
Top 5th
Otto Lopez will lead off for Canada and he pops one out to right field for Mookie Betts. One away.
A little trivia for you:
Yesterday, Canada scored 18 runs in a single game, tying a World Baseball Classic record for the most runs in a single game.
Today, Team USA scored 9 runs in the first inning, which also ties a World Baseball Classic record for the most runs in a single inning.
Trea Turner gets nothing but fastballs and he lines one to left, but straight at Robson for out number three. That is Canada's best inning so far.
JT Realmuto stand in now and tags one straight back at the mound. It gets through for a single to center.
Tim Anderson gets three straight strikes for a quick out. Two down.
Tucker jumps on the first pitch and flies it out to left. Robson pulls it down for the first out.
Bottom 4th
Indigo Diaz will now come onto the mound to replace R. J. Freure for Canada. He will face Kyle Tucker to get things going here.
He chops one to first base and Pauld Goldschmidt takes the ball to the bag to end the inning.
Jared Young now for Canada sees nothing but breaking balls.
O'Neill now stands in and sees two quick strikes before grounding one up the middle. Tim Anderson fields it and makes the throw to first for out number two.
He crushes a long ball to deep left and Kyle Tucker hauls it in on the warning track for out number one.
Top 4th
Freddie Freeman will lead off the Canadian side of the inning against Lynn.
A beauty of a curve ball jelly-legs Arenado for a called strike three. That breaking ball by Freure has really begun to find its groove. Unfortunately after 12 runs have been given up. The end of three, USA 12, Canada 1
Nolan Arenado gets a few brushbacks before fouling a couple off. The count runs to 2-2
Paul Goldschmidt comes to the plate and gets a curveball strike before lining one to the left field alley. It drops under Robsons diving glove and rolls to the wall. Goldschmidt gets a two-out double.
Another curve ball is slapped to center field and Tyler O'Neill gets under it for out number two.
Freure misses inside with a pitch before delivering a curve ball that is fouled back.
He chases another one and gets in a hole 0-2. The next pitch jams Trout and he fouls it back.
Mike Trout comes to the plate and takes a strike.
Betts jumps on the first one and chops it to third. Toro makes the long throw and gets the first out.
Bottom 3rd
Canada are sticking with Freure and he will get the top of the order as Mookie Betts leads off.
Edouard Julien comes to the dish now and gets a steady stream of breaking pitches. He fouls several off before whiffing at strike three to end the inning. Retired in order, Canada are having trouble getting anything going with the bats.
Jacob Robson comes up and chases the first pitch, grounding one to second. Anderson makes the throw to first for out number two.
Top 3rd
Denzel Clarke leads off for Canada and gets three fastballs. He goes after them all and strikes out swinging.
Cedric Mullins comes to the plate now and works a deep count. It runs full before he gets jelly-legged on a nice curve ball for a called strike three.
He rocks a deep blast to left field. Long gone! A solo shot that makes it 12-1 for Team USA.
Now with the bases cleared, Trea Turner comes to the plate.
J.T. Realmuto stands in and pops one out to center. Tyler O'Neill pulls it down for the second out, scoring Anderson. 11-1 now
The payoff is slapped into the right center gap. It goes to the wall and Anderson gets a triple out of it. Arenado scores on the play. 10-1 to the USA now.
Freure is having trouble finding the strike zone, but he manages to work his way back into the count, eventullly filling it up.
Tim Anderson now stands in.
He skies one to third base and Toro hauls it in for the first out.
Kyle Tucker now comes to the plate with a man on first and no outs.
On four straight pitches he surrenders the walk. The pitching depth is really a weak spot for Canada.
Bottom 2nd
Freure comes out to face Nolan Arenado to lead off the 2nd.
Bo Naylor comes to the plate and shows great discipline, working the count to 2-2 before chasing a nasty curve ball for strike three. The USA gets out with minimal damage, giving up one run. USA 9, Canada 1
Abraham Toro comes to the plate and shoots a fly ball out to right and Mookie Betts camps out under it. Two down
Otto Lopez comes to the plate and smacks a line drive to right field and Mookie Betts makes a diving catch for the out. Great play!
Top 2nd
Jared Young leads off for Canada and crushes the first pitch for a home run to center field. That is a quick response and Canada claw one back.
Paul Goldschmidt gets two quick strikes before grounding one to short. Lopez makes the throw to first to end the inning. Team USA has unloaded in this first inning here against Canada, and we head to two with the USA leading 9-0.
Trout smashes the first pitch to deep center for a three-run homer. Team USA is now up 9-0 in the first inning.
Mookie Betts gets plunked to take first, putting men at the corners for Mike Trout.
Two down now as Cedric Mullins smacks the second pitch to deep right, off the top of the wall for a triple, scoring Trea Turner from first. 6-0 here in the first.
Trea Turner grounds into a force out at third who goes to second to get the force on Realmuto. Tim Anderson scores and Turner is safe at 1st.
There are runners at the corners and one out.
Freure will face Trea Turner to get his evening going.
That is going to be it for the young Bratt. Ernie Whitt makes the trip out to the mound and calls for R. J. Freure to take the mound.
Realmuto smacks a sharp ground ball through to center for a single. Nolan Arenado scores and Tim Anderson advances to 3rd.
The Canadian bullpen is up and working.
JT Realmuto now stands in
Tim Anderson now comes to the plate, with one down and Tucker on second. He works the count full before drawing the walk.
Kyle Tucker jumps on the first pitch and hits it deep to left. Robson pulls it down for out number one. Goldschmidt tags and scores on the play. The USA jumps out to a 3-0 lead here quickly.
Nolan Arenado up now and absolutely crushes a strike down the third base line for a double. Betts and Trout score.
He loses Goldschmidt on five pitches. Two walks and they need to calm this young pitcher down. He is in the biggest game that he has ever played in, and it is understandable, but he needs to find a strike.
Paul Goldschmidt comes to the plate and Bratt is pitching around him as well.
Four straight balls and Trout gets the pass. Men on first and second with nobody out.
Mike Trout comes up and he is playing DH today, making room in center field for Cedric Mullins.
Bratt delivers the first pitch and Betts slaps it through to right for a leadoff single.
Bottom 1st
Mookie Betts comes in to lead off for the USA
He is equally picky and the count runs to 2-2 before getting high heat for strike three.
Tyler O'Neill stands in now
Lynn is a little more circumspect, painting around the edges, before giving something for Freddie to hit. He pokes it to deep left, where Kyle Tucker hauls it in for out number two.
Freddie Freeman now up
Julien looks at a great knee-high fastball. Strike three and he knows it.
A foul off and two balls brings us to 2-2
Top 1st
Lance Lynn will face Eduardo Julien to get going and finds the strike zone straight out of the blocks.
In the last four WBCs, Canada and the USA have met four times. Canada has won only one, with the USA outscoring them 26-9.
Julien, Freeman, and O'Neill will get things started against Lance Lynn, and the USA need him to be economical with his pitches, going deep into the game and hitting the zone early.
The teams are on the field and warming up. We are only minutes away from the first pitch.
Canada lineup
Julien 2B
Freeman 1B
O'Neill CF
Young DH
Lopez SS
Toro 3B
Naylor C
Clarke RF
Robson LF
USA lineup
Betts RF
Trout DH
Goldschmidt 1B
Arenado 3B
Tucker LF
Anderson 2B
Realmuto C
Turner SS
Mullins CF
Starting pitchers
Canada will start Mitch Bratt who pitched in the Texas Rangers minor league organization last year, finishing the season with a 2.45 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 80.2 innings pitched.
The USA will give the nod to Lance Lynn, the veteran White Sox pitcher who has a career 3.52 ERA and last year struck out 124 batters on 121.2 innings pitched.
The undisputed backbone of the Americans’ squad is its prolific lineup. But Canada’s offense cannot be dismissed. They tied the single game record of 18 runs against Great Britain in their first game, and did it in only six innings.
Thanks to Great Britain's stunning historic win over Colombia, Team USA controls its own destiny. A win over Canada here plus a win over Colombia on Wednesday will send USA to the second round.
Welcome to the Diario AS USA's live commentary coverage of the Canada vs USA game here as Canada tries to maintain their momentum after scoring a record-tying 18 runs against Great Britain yesterday. Team USA, however, are still reeling after being comprehensively trounced by Mexico and are keen to put that behind them and prove that they still are the best team in the world.