Canada Advances to WBC Quarters with 7-2 Win Over Cuba

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Canada's national baseball team advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic for the first time in the tournament's 20-year history, defeating Cuba 7-2 on Wednesday in a winner-take-all Pool A matchup at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

The victory improved Canada's record to 3-1, securing the top spot in the pool on a tiebreaker over host Puerto Rico, also at 3-1. Cuba, which entered the game at 2-1, was eliminated in the first round for the first time, finishing 2-2. The Canadians, who have competed in every WBC since its inception in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2023, broke through after five previous first-round exits. Canada and Puerto Rico are set to face each other in the quarterfinals this weekend in Houston.

Canada jumped ahead in the third inning on Owen Caissie's sacrifice fly, scoring the game's first run. Abraham Toro extended the lead to 2-0 in the fifth with a solo home run, a 420-foot drive to right field off Cuban starter Yariel Rodríguez. Cuba answered in the bottom of the fifth on Yoelkis Guibert's run-scoring groundout against Canadian starter Cal Quantrill, who earned the win after allowing an unearned run and two hits over five...