Mister Baseball

Canada jumped into a tie for third place with the Netherlands after a 6-3 victory against Venezuela. They are now 4-2 and playing Australia on Wednesday in their last game of the preliminary round.

Both teams exchanged runs in the first three innings. Canada took a commanding lead in the fourth and fifth period with two scored runs apiece. They added another run in the eighth to build up the score to 6-1. Venezuela rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth, but the deficit was too big.

Taylor GREEN got Canada a 1-0 lead with a sac fly in the bottom of the first. Saul TORRES tied the duel in the third with a solo-homerun. The maple leafs answered immediately. Nick WEGLARZ hit a RBI-double in the fourth to take the lead again and scored on a RBI-single by Chris ROBINSON. Mike SAUNDERS added two more an inning later with his third homerun of the tournament. Seabstien BOUCHER drove in the sixth run with a ground out in the eighth.

Venezuela rallied in the ninth with two outs. They scored two runs on a RBI-single by Yosner GARCIA and a throwing error.

James AVERY (W 1-1) gave up two hits, a run and three walks in six innings. He struck out four.

Luis Alberto TORRES RODRIGUEZ (L 1-1) allowed seven hits, five runs and three base on balls in four-plus innings.