Canada's bats stifled as Venezuela pitches one-hit shutout in final Group B game
Venezuela takes edge on Canada in Super Round as preliminary results carry forward
Carlos Perez and Juniel Querecuto hit home runs and Venezuela's pitchers combined on a one-hitter in a 5-0 win over Canada on Wednesday at the Baseball Americas Olympic Qualifier.
Both teams had already qualified for the weekend's Super Round at the event. However, preliminary results against other Super Round teams are carried forward, giving Venezuela an edge over Canada in the battle for a playoff berth at the upcoming Tokyo Games
Perez led Venezuela (3-0) with three hits, including a two-run homer in the fourth inning.
"We came out flat what can you say," Canada manager Ernie Whitt said. "We had some opportunities but couldn't cash it on them.
"We'll take tomorrow [off] and be ready to play when the crossover games start on Friday."
WATCH | Canada dealt 1st WBSC loss by Venezuela in Group B finale:
Oddanier Mosqueda picked up the win for Venezuela, while Travis Seabrooke took the loss for Canada (2-1) after giving up three hits and two earned runs over two innings.
Venezuela opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. A single form Ramon Flores scored Robinson Chironos, then Yonny Hernandez's single scored Perez.
Perez doubled Venezuela's lead in the fourth when he homered to deep left following a walk to Chironos.
Querecuto capped the scoring with a solo homer in the seventh.
Venezuelan starter Enmanuel De Jesus pitched four innings, giving up one hit and three walks while striking out three.
Venezuela and Canada will each face the United States and the Dominican Republic in the Super Round. Canada takes on the U.S. on Friday and the Domican Republic on Saturday.
The Dominican Republic advanced to the Super Round with a 13-3 rout of Nicaragua on Wednesday. The U.S. will carry a win over the Dominicans into the next round.
The team with the best Super Round record will be declared the winner and will qualify for Tokyo. The second- and third-place finishers will compete at a last-chance qualifier for the sixth and final entry at the Olympics.
The top team from the Super Round joins Japan, Israel, Mexico and South Korea at the Olympic baseball tournament, to be played in Japan from July 28 to Aug. 7 in Fukushima and Yokohama.
Second- and third-place teams advance to a final qualifier in June in Mexico, which will include Australia, Netherlands and Taiwan.
WATCH | Canada edges Cuba on Tuesday to reach Super Round:
Dominicans rout Nicaragua, advance to Super Round
Seattle Mariners prospects Julio Rodriguez and Luis Liberato hit early home runs, and the Dominican Republic coasted to a 13-3 rout of Nicaragua on Wednesday and a berth in the super round of the Americas Olympic qualifying tournament.
Rodriguez homered twice and drove in three runs, combining with Yefri Perez for back-to-back home runs in the seventh. Former major leaguer Juan Francisco added a solo homer in the eighth.
Dario Alvarez, also a former big leaguer, won with two hitless innings of relief.
The Dominicans (2-1) advanced along with the United States (2-0), Venezuela (3-0) and Canada (2-1) to the super round on Friday and Saturday. Head-to-head results of teams advancing from the first round will carry over.
The United States' game against Puerto Rico, which has no implication on the super round, was rained out and rescheduled for Thursday.
With files from The Associated Press
