Josh Naylor’s Error Shifts Momentum for Team Canada Baseball in San Juan
Josh Naylor’s dropped relay at Hiram Bithorn Stadium became the hinge of a game that left Team Canada Baseball reeling. Canada, which had opened the pool with an 8-2 win over Colombia, saw a 2-1 lead collapse into a 4-3 loss to Panama and fall to 1-1 in Pool A.
Josh Naylor and Team Canada Baseball in Hiram Bithorn Stadium
For a team that had emphasized clean play, manager Ernie Whitt had said that avoiding extra outs was a priority “in every tournament we play in. ” That emphasis did not hold up in the sixth inning, when a series of infield mistakes produced runs without the opposition leaving the infield.
It began with a wind-affected play on an Edmundo Sosa rocket that might otherwise have been a long out. Naylor then dropped a relay from third baseman Abraham Toro on what should have been the inning’s second out, a miscue that Naylor later addressed directly: “I’ll take the blame for that loss, ” he said. “I should have caught that baseball. I didn’t and the little things win games. “
James Paxton and the sixth inning that swung the game
A rain delay had pushed first pitch by roughly 60 minutes, and when retired lefty James Paxton entered he walked leadoff man Jose Ramos. Paxton later reached a velocity near 95 on the gun but still allowed the inning to unravel, and the scoreboard flipped in short order.
After Luis Castillo popped out, Miguel Amaya’s grounder was knocked down by sliding second baseman Edouard Julien, who could not complete a relay to load the bases. A pinch-hitter, Ruben Tejada, followed with a bouncer up the middle that Otto Lopez kept in the infield as the tying run scored. Paxton then cut off a relay home, allowing another run to score when an out was available. Enrique Bradfield Jr. hit another grounder that stayed in the infield; Julien bare-handed it but could not get his footing for a relay.
By the time Jose Caballero flew out to end the frame, Panama had taken a 4-2 lead without pushing a ball past the infield. Canada’s pitching then settled briefly: Laval-born lefty Miguel Cienfuegos threw seven pitches in the bottom half of the sixth to stop the bleeding and keep the game within reach.
Pool A and Canada’s path against Cuba, Puerto Rico and Colombia
The loss left Canada at 1-1 in Pool A, behind 2-0 Cuba and 2-0 Puerto Rico, who were slated to meet in a pivotal clash the following night. Canada was scheduled to be off until Tuesday, when Jordan Balazovic was set to start against the Pool A hosts.
Panama dropped to 1-2 and was to meet Colombia, which sat at 0-3, with the winner avoiding the need to requalify for the next World Baseball Classic. Pool A play was scheduled to wrap up on Wednesday when Canada would play Cuba; advancing to the quarterfinals remained possible for Canada, but the margin for error had narrowed considerably.
Canada had earlier avoided similar troubles in its opening 8-2 win over Colombia, a game in which it pressed and capitalized on opponents’ mistakes. That contrast only underscored how quickly a clean game plan can unravel when a chain of small defensive plays breaks down.
Back where this story began, Naylor’s admission that he “made a mistake and move on” closed the loop on the human side of the loss. For now, the next confirmed step for Canada is a scheduled day off followed by Jordan Balazovic taking the mound on Tuesday against the Pool A hosts, a game that will test whether the team can straighten the defensive issues highlighted at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
