Canada finishes 4th at U18 baseball World Cup with 8-1 loss to Japan

THUNDER BAY, Ont. — Canada finished fourth at the under-18 baseball World Cup, falling 8-1 to Japan in the bronze medal game on Sunday.

Ginji Miura pitched seven scoreless innings for the Japanese team, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out 12.

Jason Willow drove in Canada’s lone run in the ninth inning. Noah Naylor was 2 for 3 with a walk.

Miura didn’t allow a hit until Naylor’s one-out single in the fourth. The Mississauga, Ont., native added a second single and Willow had a base hit, both in the seventh. 

“He (Miura) was really good,” said Canadian manager Greg Hamilton. “Sometimes you have to tip your cap to the other side and he was full credit for his performance this afternoon.”

Canadian starter Wesley Moore allowed four runs — three of them earned — over three innings. The left-hander gave up three hits, walked two, struck out one and threw two wild pitches.

Japan tacked on two more runs off reliever Jack DeCooman and Landon Leach, the first Canadian selected at this year’s MLB draft (37th overall by the Minnesota Twins) allowed two runs, one earned, over four innings of relief.

Shu Masuda was 2 for 4 with an RBI, a walk and a stolen base to help lead Japan’s offence. Kyota Fujiwara also drove in a run, scored twice and had two hits in five at-bats.

Canada broke the shutout bid in the ninth when Willow connected for his second hit of the game, driving in Clayton Keyes from second base.

“We were in a hole early (in this tournament) so I’m really proud of this team and the way we competed here,” said Hamilton. “Fourth place in a world championship is nothing to hang your head over.”

Canada was playing in a medal game at the tournament for the first time since taking silver in 2012. 

The Canadian Press