HAVANA, CUBA – Stubby Clapp hit a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth to cap off a Canadian comeback win in which Canada tallied four times in the final frame to beat Puerto Rico 6-5 at the Americas Olympic Qualifier in Havana, Cuba today.
After struggling to manufacture offence and with one away and nobody on in the bottom of the ninth inning, Canada loaded the bases on singles from Emerson Frostad, Matt Rogelstad and Mike Saunders. Sebastien Boucher then hit a double down the right field line to bring the Canadians within one run at 5-4, setting the table for Clapp’s heroics.
The win puts Canada at 1-1 in the qualifier.
Puerto Rico got on the board first in the top-half of the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead behind a walk a double and a base hit allowed by Canadian starter Mike Meyers (London, Ont.).
Canada cut that lead in half in the bottom of the second when third baseman Matt Rogelstad drove a base hit to left-centre field to score first baseman Pierre-Luc Laforest (Hull, Qué.) from second base.
A lead off walk to Puerto Rican left fielder José Valazquez set the table for a deep drive to left by José Leon that carried over the wall for a homerun and a 4-1 Puerto Rico lead.
Canada again managed to cut the lead in half the following inning and Laforest was at it again. After Jeremy Ware (Guelph, Ont.) drew a lead-off walk, Laforest doubled to the gap in right, setting up an RBI ground out from Rogelstad to score Ware, 4-2 Puerto Rico.
Wither runners on the corners and only one out in the top of the eight, Puerto Rico scored their fifth run of the game as Laforest bobbled a throw from Clapp at first base allowing Figueroa to score from third base. T.J. Burton then came in to strike out Leon and induce a ground out to end the inning with Puerto Rico up 5-2.
Mike Saunders threw out Puerto Rican Centre fielder Jesus Feliciano trying to score from second base on a single to left to end the eighth inning and the threat of more Puerto Rican insurance runs, allowing Canada to go into the ninth inning down three runs.
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