Team USA punched its ticket to the World Baseball Classic semifinals with a 5-3 win over Canada in Friday’s quarterfinal matchup. The Americans will face the Dominican Republic next after advancing through the first round of single-elimination play.
It wasn’t the most explosive offensive showing — no home runs or big innings — but the U.S. got exactly what it needed. Logan Webb dominated Canada’s lineup through 4.2 innings, the offense manufactured enough runs early, and the bullpen came through when things got tight.
How it played out
The Americans struck first in the opening inning and added two more in the third to build an early cushion. Canada stayed quiet until the sixth, when they pushed across three runs to tie things up at 3-3. But Team USA answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to retake the lead and never let go.
Webb was the story early on. The Giants right-hander carved up Canada’s lineup, allowing just four hits while striking out five. He didn’t walk many — just one free pass — and kept Canada off the scoreboard through his 4.2 innings of work.
That’s where things got interesting. Brad Keller and Gabe Speier couldn’t hold the line in relief, giving up Canada’s three-run rally in the sixth. But David Bednar steadied things, and Garrett Whitlock and Mason Miller shut the door over the final two innings.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | F | |
| USA | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Canada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
The U.S. offense didn’t light up the scoreboard, but it found ways to score when it mattered. Brice Turang and Pete Crow-Armstrong led the way with two hits each, while Kyle Schwarber and Alex Bregman drove in the key runs.
For Canada, Bo Naylor provided the biggest highlight with a solo home run in the sixth inning. His brother Josh started at first base for the U.S. — one of those unique WBC storylines that makes this tournament special.
USA hitting stats
| Order | Hitter | Position | H-AB | R | HR | RBI | AVG |
| 1 | Bobby Witt Jr. | SS | 0-3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .294 |
| 2 | Bryce Harper | 1B | 0-5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .150 |
| 3 | Aaron Judge | RF | 1-3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .263 |
| 4 | Kyle Schwarber | DH | 1-4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .350 |
| 5 | Alex Bregman | 3B | 1-4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .182 |
| 6 | Roman Anthony | LF | 1-4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .316 |
| Byron Buxton | CF | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| 7 | Cal Raleigh | C | 0-3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 8 | Brice Turang | 2B | 2-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .467 |
| 9 | Pete Crow-Armstrong | CF-LF | 2-4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .357 |
USA pitching breakdown
| Pitcher | IP | H | ER | BB | K | PC-ST | ERA |
| Logan Webb | 4.2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 71-46 | 1.04 |
| Brad Keller | 1.0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 19-12 | 6.75 |
| Gabe Speier | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14-10 | 7.71 |
| David Bednar | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 26-18 | 0.00 |
| Garrett Whitlock | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10-7 | 0.00 |
| Mason Miller | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 18-13 | 0.00 |
Webb’s performance was exactly what Team USA needed to advance. His 1.04 ERA through the tournament has been one of the most consistent storylines for the Americans. Miller closed things out with authority, striking out the side in the ninth to send the U.S. through.
Canada’s final push
Canada didn’t go down quietly. Otto Lopez had two hits to lead off their lineup, and Bo Naylor‘s home run gave them life in the sixth. They actually managed eight hits against U.S. pitching — more than enough to win most games.
But Michael Soroka couldn’t match Webb’s early dominance, allowing four hits and two runs through 2.2 innings. Canada’s bullpen kept them in the game, but they couldn’t quite finish the comeback.
| Order | Hitter | Position | H-AB | R | HR | RBI | AVG |
| 1 | Otto Lopez | SS | 2-5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .263 |
| 2 | Josh Naylor | 1B | 0-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
| 3 | Tyler O’Neill | RF | 1-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 |
| 4 | Owen Caissie | LF | 0-3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .412 |
| 5 | Abraham Toro | 3B | 1-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .421 |
| 6 | Tyler Black | DH | 1-4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .100 |
| 7 | Bo Naylor | C | 2-4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .353 |
| 8 | Denzel Clarke | CF | 0-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .188 |
| Jared Young | PH | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 | |
| 9 | Edouard Julien | 2B | 1-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .158 |
Now the Americans turn their attention to the Dominican Republic, which should be a completely different challenge. The Dominicans have been one of the tournament favorites from day one, and they’ve got the lineup to back it up.
The way I see it, this was exactly the kind of game Team USA needed — not pretty, but effective. Webb showed he can handle pressure, the offense found ways to score without the long ball, and the bullpen proved it’s got depth when guys like Miller are throwing 100+ mph in the ninth.
All things considered, advancing is what matters most at this stage. The semifinals await.
