Team USA Beats Canada 5-3, Reaches WBC Semifinals

The United States baseball team is heading back to the World Baseball Classic semifinals after a thrilling 5-3 victory over Canada in Houston on Friday night. The win marks Team USA's third straight semifinal appearance and sets up a showdown with the Dominican Republic in Miami this Sunday.

Aaron Judge sparked the American offense early with a crucial double, while Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brice Turang each collected two hits to keep the pressure on Canada throughout the game. The U.S. squad showed resilience after stumbling with an 8-6 loss to Italy earlier in pool play that nearly derailed their tournament hopes.

The Americans built a comfortable 5-0 lead before Canada mounted a fierce comeback in the sixth inning. Bo Naylor crushed a two-run homer to the second deck in right field, cutting the deficit to 5-3 and energizing the Canadian bench.

Canada threatened again in the seventh with runners on second and third with nobody out. But U.S. reliever David Bednar rose to the challenge, striking out two batters and retiring three straight to end the threat.

Closer Mason Miller put an exclamation point on the victory by striking out the side in the ninth inning to secure the save. The dominant finish sent Team USA into Sunday's semifinal with momentum on their side.

The Bright Side

This victory continues a remarkable stretch for American teams against their northern neighbors. Just last month, the U.S. hockey team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to capture gold at the Milan Olympics, making 2026 a year to remember for American fans in head-to-head matchups.

For Canada, reaching the quarterfinals marked their best World Baseball Classic performance to date. The team showed heart and fight, refusing to go quietly despite facing a five-run deficit.

Team USA now looks ahead to Sunday's semifinal showdown in Miami, carrying the confidence of a team that knows how to win when it matters most.