Tougher competition lies ahead. With that in mind, the guys wearing Team Canada jerseys at the World Baseball Challenge know they'll have to be sharper than they were Sunday afternoon against the Bahamas.
Canada scored four runs in the first inning and went on to beat the Bahamas 13-7 at Citizen Field. But, the Canadians missed the chance to bring the mercy rule into effect when, with two outs already in the books in the top of the seventh inning, they allowed the Bahamas to send two runners across home plate.
Later, in the top of the ninth, Canadian closer Mark James hit the first two batters he faced and that led to three more Bahamas runs.
The Bahamas, likely the weakest of the six competing teams, had lost its Saturday opener 16-1 to Chinese Taipei in seven innings.
"A lot of us haven't played in a week or so, and it was good to go out and feel things out and come out with a W," said Canadian outfielder Greg Wallace, who got his team started with a solo home run in the first inning. "There were a few fundamental things that we probably could have done better and we'll improve throughout the tournament. We've got nothing to worry about."
On Monday, see The Citizen and pgcitizen.ca for more.
