Tirotta hits three-run homer, Blue Jays beat Canada 10-7 in WBC tune-up

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) pitches to Canada during the first inning of an exhibition baseball game Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Dunedin, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

DUNEDIN — Riley Tirotta hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated Canada’s national baseball team 10-7 in an exhibition game Tuesday afternoon.

Tirotta’s homer came after Canada came back to tie the game after giving up seven runs over the first two innings.

It was the first of Canada’s two games against Major League Baseball opposition as it prepares for the World Baseball Classic.

Jesús Sánchez drove in three runs and Kevin Gausman pitched two scoreless innings to stake the Blue Jays to an early lead.

Canada started to chip away at the deficit once it started getting deep into the Jays’ bullpen. The Canadians tied the game with a four-run eighth inning led by a solo home run from Jacob Robson.

Jack Cushing, who was charged with a blown save in the eighth, came back out for the ninth after Tirotta’s homer and worked a scoreless inning to get the win.

Brock Dykxhoorn took the loss after giving up the go-ahead homer in the eighth.

Canada faces Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon before opening its WBC schedule on Saturday afternoon against Colombia in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The Blue Jays have an off-day before returning to spring training action Thursday against Atlanta in North Port, Fla.


Sánchez opened the scoring with a two-run single in the first inning. Toronto piled on five more runs in the second on a walk to George Springer with the bases loaded, a two-run single from Nathan Lukes, a groundout from Daulton Varsho and a run-scoring single by Sánchez.

Canada got two back in the sixth off Jays reliever Lazaro Estrada through a Tyler O’Neill sacrifice fly and an RBI single from Owen Caissie. Jared Young added another with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off Tanner Andrews in the seventh.

Robson opened Canada’s big eighth inning with a solo homer off Gage Stanifer. Liam Hicks and Denzel Clark followed with run-scoring hits, then Tyler Black tied the game with a sacrifice fly.

Canada starter Logan Allen was pulled after allowing three baserunners without recording an out to start the second inning. He was charged with five earned runs.

Noah Skirrow pitched the next two innings, giving up two earned runs but striking out four.

Adam Macko, Eric Cerantola, Indigo Diaz and Antoine Jean combined to allow just one hit over the next four innings.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2026.