World Baseball Classic: Canada Beats the U.S.!

I'm watching the World Baseball Classic on Rogers Sportsnet right now. They just cut from an extra innings Cuba victory over Panama, and now they're showing Canada vs. the U.S. with Canada winning 8-0 in the 5th. This is a tournament that includes many many major league players, so this is as good a U.S. team as you can ask for. And the Canadian pitcher who started the game had never worked above Single-A according to Peter, they started him because they figured they had no chance so they would save their better pitchers for other games.

And now Canada just scored an inside-the-park home run to make it 8-0. The U.S. crowd has turned on the American team and is booing them now, and gave the Canadian pitcher a big round of applause as he exited the game on the way to a shutout.

Peter's saying that they're talking about invoking the "marcy rule" . It's one thing for Canada to just beat the U.S. at baseball but beating them by the mercy rule would be absolutely unbelievable.

Update: Ken Griffey Jr. just came in to score, I've never seen him run so desperately to beat a throw. Now it's 8-2..

... and Jason Veritek just hit a grand slam. Well, that was fun while it lasted.

And now the Rogers Sportsnet announcer just called it the "miracle on dirt" after the US scored 6 runs in one inning. This will jinkx it for sure.

... OK, there's been a couple of scoreless innings now. The US's lineup is intimidating as hell, A-Rod didn't even start for cryin' out loud.

.. Ninth inning, Canada still up 8-6. If only Canada had Eric Gagne as a closer, but he's not in the tournament, sadly. Canada is making some great catches and plays.

I'm really enjoying the faster pace and fewer inturruptions / pauses of these games compared with major leage games.

... bottom of the 9th, Canada still up 8-6.

Peter says:
hopefuly a-rod thinks this a big time game so he'll choke

... 1 STRIKE AWAY! CHOKE A-ROD YOU FUCKER CHOKE

... Damnit, Adam Stern , Canada's amazing outfielder, just made an amazing diving catch but the ball popped out of his glove when he landed, now A-Rod is on 2nd base. One out left.

... WHOOOOO!!!!! GO CANADA!!

"Miracle on dirt"? Oh yes.
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