Panama pounces on miscues to beat Canada 4-3 at World Baseball Classic

Panama's Edmundo Sosa runs toward home plate to score against Canada during the fourth inning of a World Baseball Classic game in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

SAN JUAN — Panama pounced on three Team Canada errors in the sixth inning, scoring three times en route to a 4-3 victory at the World Baseball Classic on Sunday at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

Canada, which started play in Pool A on Saturday with an 8-2 win over Colombia, jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Abraham Toro doubled to drive in Otto Lopez, who led off the inning with a single to centre field.

Panama tied the game 1-1 in the fourth with an RBI single from Luis Castillo.

Canada restored its lead in the bottom half of the inning when Denzel Clarke’s single drove home Bo Naylor.

In the decisive sixth inning, pitcher James Paxton replaced Antoine Jean on the mound. Paxton walked Jose Ramos, and then got Edmundo Sosa to fly out. First baseman Josh Naylor then failed to catch a ball from third baseman Abraham Toro and both were charged with errors as Ramos moved to second base.

Paxton then got Luis Castillo to fly out but gave up a single to Miguel Amaya to load the bases. With two out, Panama pinch-hitter Ruben Tejada singled to drive in a pair of runs aided later by a Paxton throwing error. Enrique Bradfield Jr. then had an RBI single to drive in Amaya for a 4-2 Panama lead.

Canada got a run back in the bottom of the eighth when Owen Caissie connected for an RBI double that plated Bo Naylor.

Canada was outhit 11-9 by Panama and left 10 runners stranded on base.

Paxton pitched 1 2/3 innings and gave up four hits and three runs. He struck out two batters and was tagged with the loss. Jameson Taillon pitched 3 2/3 innings for Canada and gave up a run and two hits and struck out three.

Canada (1-1) plays unbeaten Puerto Rico (2-0) on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2026.

The Canadian Press