Owen Caissie hit a two-run homer, and Abraham Toro knocked in two runs as Canada added to Colombia’s offensive ineptitude with an 8-2 victory in Pool A of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Caissie and Toro got Canada going in the third inning when Toro doubled with one out, and Caissie planted a hanging breaking ball from emergency starter Austin Bergner 403 feet into the right field seats at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Bergner got the nod after Julio Teherán was scratched due to shoulder discomfort during his pregame workout.
Canada sent 10 men to the plate in the eighth inning to break open the game. Toro tripled, Bo Naylor singled, Denzel Clarke’s sacrifice fly, and Tyler O’Neill’s base-loaded walk did the damage for the Canadians, who made their 2026 debut in the WBC.
Colombia used nine pitchers and couldn’t get much done on offense, leaving six men on base and going 1-7 with runners in scoring position. They went 0-10 with runners in scoring position in a 5-0 loss to Puerto Rico in their tournament debut on Friday.
Canada will next play Panama Sunday night, and Colombia will look for its first WBC win against Cuba earlier in the day.
USA TODAY Sports has highlights and analysis for Canada vs Colombia:
Final: Canada 8, Colombia 2
End 8: Canada 8, Colombia 2
Colombia cut into the lead against reliever Micah Ashman when Michael Arroyo was hit by a pitch and scored on Harold Ramirez’s double. Arroyo stumbled around third and fell before hitting home plate, but scored in plenty of time as there was no throw to the plate. Donovan Solano walked to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but Eric Cerantola got Gio Urshela to strike out on three pitches.
Canada got that run back and more against Guillo Zuñiga. Tyler Black walked, stole second, and advanced to third on an error by catcher Daniel Vellojin.
Abraham Toro then knocked in his second run of the game with a triple to score Black, Bo Naylor’s single scored Toro, and Denzel Clarke’s sacrifice fly extended the lead to five. Tyler O’Neill’s base-loaded walk added another run.
End 7: Canada 4, Colombia 1
Josh Naylor’s RBI single extended the lead for Canada in the seventh. Yapson Gomez, Columbia’s sixth pitcher of the game, was the unfortunate recipient of bad defense.
With one out, Denzel Clarke reached on an error by right fielder Jesús Marriaga after he dropped a fly ball. Clarke hustled to second on the error and scored on Naylor’s base knock.
End 5: Canada 3, Colombia 1
The wind is starting to play a part in the game as several hard-hit balls have simply been caught for easy outs. Both teams have struggled the past few innings to generate any offense, and the game may come down to which bullpen can hold up.
End 4: Canada 3, Colombia 1
Indigo Diaz is the new pitcher for Canada, replacing starter Michael Soroka, who pitched three innings, allowing four hits and one earned run, while striking out two. Diaz retired the side in order, and Canada also failed to score in the inning.
End 3: Canada 3, Colombia 1
Colombia scored their first run of the World Baseball Classic as they cashed in after Tito Polo’s double to center when Michael Arroyo’s second single of the day scored Polo.
Rio Gomez, the son of the late ESPN reporter Pedro Gomez, replaced Austin Bergner for Colombia. Bergner threw 33 pitches and was charged with two earned runs after replacing Julio Teherán, who did not make the start due to shoulder discomfort during his pregame workout.
Gomez was replaced after 22 pitches, giving up two hits and striking out one. His replacement, Emerson Martinez, hit Otto Lopez with his first pitch in relief to load the bases, and walked Abraham Toro to plate Canada’s third run.
End 2: Canada 2, Colombia 0
Owen Caissie, who played for the Chicago Cubs last season before being traded to the Miami Marlins in January, gets Canada on the board with a 2-run blast after Abraham Toro doubled with one out.
Caissie’s 403-foot home run came on a hanging breaking ball from emergency starter Austin Bergner.
End 1: Canada 0, Colombia 0
Colombia failed to strike early, and a wasted Michael Arroyo leadoff single to right against Canada starter Michael Soroka.
Arroyo stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but Arroyo was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice. Colombia’s offensive struggles continue, as they were 0-10 with runners in scoring position in a 5-0 loss to Puerto Rico to start the World Baseball Classic.
Austin Bergner replaced the scheduled starter, Julio Teherán, for Colombia; Canada could not do anything in their half of the inning.
How to watch Canada vs. Colombia WBC game
- Time: 11 a.m. ET
- TV channel: Fox Sports 2
- Live stream: Fubo
Watch WBC live on Fubo
Canada starting lineup
Starter: RHP Mike Soroka
- Edouard Julien, 2B
- Josh Naylor, 1B
- Tyler O’Neill, RF
- Tyler Black, DH
- Otto Lopez, SS
- Abraham Toro, 3B
- Bo Naylor, C
- Owen Caissie, LF
- Denzel Clarke, CF
Colombia lineup vs Canada
Starter: RHP Julio Teheran
- Michael Arroyo, DH
- Harold Ramírez, LF
- Reynaldo Rodriguez, 1B
- Donovan Solano, 2B
- Gio Urshela, 3B
- Jesus Marriaga, RF
- Daniel Vellojin, C
- Tito Polo, CF
- Dayan Frias, SS
Colombia vs Canada prediction, odds
(Odds via BetMGM)
- Colombia: +220
- Canada: -275
Canada World Baseball Classic roster
Pitchers: Logan Allen, Micah Ashman, Phillippe Aumont, Jordan Balazovic, Eric Cerantola, Indigo Diaz, Antoine Jean, Carter Loewen, Adam Macko, James Paxton, Cal Quantrill, Noah Skirrow, Michael Soroka, Jameson Taillon, Matt Wilkinson, Rob Zastryzny
Catchers: Liam Hicks, Bo Naylor
Infielders: Tyler Black, Matt Davidson, Adam Hall, Edouard Julien, Otto Lopez, Josh Naylor, Abraham Toro
Outfielders: Owen Caissie, Denzel Clarke, Tyler O’Neill, Jacob Robson, Jared Young
Colombia WBC roster 2026
Pitchers: Elkin Alcala, Adrian Almeida, Austin Bergner, Danis Correa, Nabil Crismatt, Pedro Garcia, Rio Gomez, Yapson Gomez, Tayron Guerrero, David Lorduy, Emerson Martinez, Luis Patiño, Jose Quintana, Jhon Romero, Reiver Sanmartín, Julio Teheran, Guillo Zuñiga
Catchers: Jorge Alfaro, Elias Diaz, Carlos Martinez
Infielders: Michael Arroyo, Jordan Diaz, Dayan Frias, Reynaldo Rodriguez, Donovan Solano, Gio Urshela
Outfielders: Brayan Buelvas, Gustavo Campero, Harold Ramirez, Jesus Marriaga
WBC standings: Pool A
Entering Saturday’s games
- Puerto Rico: 1-0
- Cuba: 1-0
- Canada: 0-0
- Colombia: 0-1
- Panama: 0-1
WBC schedule for Pool A
- March 7: Colombia vs. Canada
- March 7: Panama vs. Puerto Rico
- March 8: Colombia vs. Cuba
- March 9: Colombia vs. Panama
- March 9: Cuba vs. Puerto Rico
- March 10: Canada vs. Puerto Rico
- March 11: Canada vs. Cuba