Baseball Canada’s National Junior Team prospects cruised to a 17-5 win over the Cleveland Indians, Monday, improving to 3-2 on their 2006 Dominican Republic Tour.
Five Canadian pitchers combined to allow only six hits, while the offence pounded out 18 hits on the way to victory.
Canada blew it open with a four-run fourth inning behind triples by Steve Anderson (Markham, Ont.) and Chase Larsson (Vancouver, B.C.), a double by Kyle Gilligan (Toronto, Ont.) and a single by Jordan Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) to make it 7-0 for the Canadians.
Canada scored three more in the fifth and three more in the sixth to take a 13-0 lead before Cleveland was finally able to get on the board with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Starter Drew Parker (Surrey, B.C.) struck out four Indians and allowed one hit in two innings work to set the tone defensively for Canada. Matt Jebb (Toronto, Ont.) was equally impressive in relief throwing three no-hit innings while walking two and striking out three.
Phillippe Aumont (Gatineau, Qué.) and Cameron Gray (Toronto, Ont.) each gave up a pair of runs and struck out two before David Francis (Mississauga, Ont.) gave up the final Indians run in the ninth.
For the second straight day, Canada faced a group of wild pitchers. Six times, Canadian batters were issued free passes after being plunked. The difference this time around, compared to a 5-4 win over the Angels a day earlier, was that the bats came alive.
Shayne Willson (Surrey, B.C.) led the attack by going 3-for-6 with a first inning-homerun, two runs scored and a pair of RBI while Gilligan was 3-for-5 with one run scored and two RBI. Not to be outdone, Wideman went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, Ricky Alvernaz (White Rock, B.C.) was 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored and Larsson was 1-for-3 with three RBI.
Leslie Williams (Scarborough, Ont.) drove in a pair of runs. Matt McCarney (Kanata, Ont.), David Narodowski (Vancouver, B.C.) and Anderson each collected one RBI.
Canada’s next game comes against the Indians, Tuesday, in Boca Chica, D.R. Game time is scheduled for 11 a.m. EST.
Canada’s schedule
May 25 – Canada 9 Seattle 6
May 26 – Canada 3 Seattle 8
May 27 – Canada 3 Minnesota 6
May 28 – Canada 5 Anaheim 4
May 29 – Canada 17 Cleveland 5
May 30 – Canada vs. Cleveland Indians; 11 a.m. EST - Boca Chica, D.R.
May 31 – Canada vs. Toronto Blue Jays; 11 a.m. EST - Hato Mayor, D.R.
June 1 – Canada vs. Philadelphia Phillies; 11 a.m. EST - Guanuma, D.R.
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