Team Canada first baseman Josh Naylor takes blame for miscue in loss to Panama
Photo credit: https://www.baseball.ca
Team Canada's sixth inning meltdown cost them a game that they should have easily won.
Panama pounced on three Team Canada errors in the sixth inning, scoring three times en route to a 4-3 victory at the World Baseball Classic on Sunday at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
Canada, which started play in Pool A on Saturday with an 8-2 win over Colombia, jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Abraham Toro doubled to drive in Otto Lopez, who led off the inning with a single to centre field.
Panama tied the game 1-1 in the fourth with an RBI single from Luis Castillo.
Canada restored its lead in the bottom half of the inning when Denzel Clarke's single drove home Bo Naylor.
In the decisive sixth inning, pitcher James Paxton replaced Antoine Jean on the mound.
Paxton walked Jose Ramos, and then got Edmundo Sosa to fly out.
Naylor takes blame for Canada's loss to Panama
First baseman Josh Naylor then failed to catch a ball from third baseman Abraham Toro and both were charged with errors as Ramos moved to second base.
Naylor remains confident Canada can turn the page quickly and get back to their brand of baseball.
«I'll take the blame for that loss. Should have caught
that baseball.»
- Josh Naylor on his miscue in the 6th inning in Canada's loss to Panama.
that baseball.»
- Josh Naylor on his miscue in the 6th inning in Canada's loss to Panama.
Paxton then got Luis Castillo to fly out but gave up a single to Miguel Amaya to load the bases.
With two out, Panama pinch-hitter Ruben Tejada singled to drive in a pair of runs aided later by a Paxton throwing error.
Disaster inning for Canada. Naylor drop them James Paxton goes Mark Sanchez on a routine throw home #WorldBaseballClassic
Enrique Bradfield Jr. then had an RBI single to drive in Amaya for a 4-2 Panama lead.
Canada got a run back in the bottom of the eighth when Owen Caissie connected for an RBI double that plated Bo Naylor.
Owen Caissie pulls Team Canada within a run 👀
Canada was outhit 11-9 by Panama and left 10 runners stranded on base.
Paxton pitched 1 2/3 innings and gave up four hits and three runs. He struck out two batters and was tagged with the loss.
Jameson Taillon pitched 3 2/3 innings for Canada and gave up a run and two hits and struck out three.
Canada (1-1) plays unbeaten Puerto Rico (2-0) on Tuesday.
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