Ponce, Puerto Rico- Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC) hit a mammoth two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to give Canada a walk-off 13-2 mercy victory over Argentina. Loewen finished the game going 3 for 5 with three runs scored and five RBI’s. The win improves Canada’s record to two wins and one loss in the first round of the Pan Am Games qualification tournament.
It took the Canadian side a while to get going, but when they did the offence came through as Canada hammered out sixteen hits with five players having multi-hit games.
“I think we came out today and made a statement,” said Chris Robinson (Dorchester, ON) who collected three hits and had an RBI. “We stayed with our plan, which was to go with the pitch and take it (the ball) the other way and I think it worked out for a lot of us.”
Robinson was also behind the plate to catch starting pitcher Mike Johnson (Edmonton, AB) who pitched all seven innings giving up two runs, ten hits and no walks while striking out five batters. More importantly, Johnson’s solid work on the mound gave the Canadian bullpen a much needed day off.
“It was a huge start that gave our bullpen a rest,” explained Robinson. “He’s a big game pitcher and has been with this club for a long time. He pitched really well.”
Johnson kept the scrappy Argentinean side off the scoreboard with the exception of giving up a run in the third and fifth innings.
“He was able to establish the (strike) zone early in the game,” continued Robinson.
Canada opened the scoring in the second inning when Loewen and Robinson scored on a double from the red-hot Jonathan Malo (Joliette, QC). On the play, Robinson was interfered with while rounding third base and was originally thrown out at home plate after bowling over the catcher. The umpiring crew reversed the call, but not before Malo was thrown out at third while he tried to take an extra base.
In the fifth, Canada would add two more runs to take a three run lead, but they really broke the game wide-open in the sixth after plating six runs.
The team batted around and scored runs when Loewen smacked a two-run double and Robinson nailed a line drive to centre field that scored another run.
The bottom of the seventh began with a single from Jimmy Van Ostrand (Richmond, BC) which set the table for Loewen whose homerun was never in doubt from the moment it hit the bat.
Canada will now be put to the test with a match-up against Cuba who is undefeated to this point in pool play. Coming off a lopsided victory, it will be important for Canada to have the right mind-set heading into the game.
“I think it’s more of a mental thing against Cuba,” said Robinson. “It’s been a while since we’ve beaten them, but everyone in our locker room believes that we can beat them. We need to come out tomorrow and play the type of baseball that we’re capable of playing.”
Notes: The game against Cuba will be played on Tuesday October 5th at Paquito Montaner Stadium in Ponce with the first pitch schedule for 7:30pm ET…Phillippe Aumont (Gatineau, QC) is expected to start for Canada…Fans can receive live updates from the game by following Baseball Canada on Twitter…Additional tournament coverage including box scores and stats can be found at: http://premundial2010.prnbt.com/ and http://www.baseballdecuba.com/panamericano2010/index.html
