Premier12, Quarterfinals: Canada – Mexico 3-4
Mexico 100 000 030 4 7 1 Canada 000 003 000 3 6 3
Canada cruised through the first round at the #Premier12 with a perfect 5-0 record. On Monday they got eliminated, as Mexico scored three times in the top of the eighth to turn a 1-3 deficit into a 4-3 win en route to the semi-finals at the Tokyo Dome.
In the eighth Juan Perez scored to make it 2-3 on a Tim Torres single. Mexico then took advantage of some sloppy defense by the Maple Leafs. Alfredo Lopez got forced out at home for the second out, Robert Lopez hit a ground ball to short, which Sean Jamieson couldn’t handle, allowing Kevin Medrano and Torres to score two runs on the error. This was the ballgame.
Canada had led since scoring three runs in the sixth. Brock Kjeldgaard had hit a two-run double. But outside of that frame, the powerful offense from Canada wasn’t able to produce as usual. Mexico’s starter Miguel Pena had issued six hits, three runs and a walk in six innings. Andrew Romo and Brennan Bernadino closed it out with perfect relief. Philippe Aumont got charged with the loss after Scott Diamond had kept the opposing batters to four hits and an unearned run in seven innings.
Mexico had entered the Premier12 as the 12th ranked team in the world and now are guaranteed to finish in the top four.