Glew: Caissie, Toro, Skirrow lead Canada past Colombia in WBC opener

Fieldhouse Pirates alum and Miami Marlins outfield prospect Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.), right, belted a two-run home run for Canada in their 8-2 win over Colombia at the World Baseball Classic on Saturday. Photo: Baseball Canada

March 7, 2026

By Kevin Glew 

Canadian Baseball Network 

Owen Caissie belted a two-run home run and Abraham Toro had a double, a triple and two RBIs to lead Canada to an 8-2 win over Colombia in their first game at the World Baseball Classic at Hiram Bithorn Stadium on Saturday. 

With two outs in the second inning and Toro (Longueuil, Que.) on base with a double, Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) deposited a hanging breaking pitch from right-hander Austin Bergner 403 feet into the right field bleachers. 

On the mound, Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) started for Canada and allowed one run in three innings to earn the win in his WBC debut. 

“It felt great,” said Soroka after the game. “The last time I got to be out there and wear the Canadian flag, it was kind of a junior program  . . . It's a great atmosphere, a great culture . . . It was a great group, and I got to roll with Bo [Naylor] and the whole team, and they made some good plays. Again, it's nice to be able to do that for not just us, but for the entire country.” 

Right-hander Noah Skirrow (Cambridge, Ont.), who tossed five shutout innings in a win against Colombia at the 2023 WBC, continued his dominance over the Colombians, permitting just one hit in three scoreless innings in relief.   

Righty Eric Cerantola (Oakville, Ont.) got the most crucial out of the contest for Canada when he replaced left-hander Micah Ashman with two outs and runners on first and second in the eighth inning with Canada leading 4-2 and fanned big leaguer Gio Urshela on three pitches.  

Veteran Phillippe Aumont (Gatineau, Que.) entered the game with two outs in the ninth and struck out centre fielder Tito Polo to seal the victory. 

Colombia’s starting lineup included Urshela and ex-Blue Jays prospect Harold Ramirez. Veteran right-hander Julio Teheran was scheduled to start but was scratched during his warm-up with what has been diagnosed as right shoulder impingement. Bergner replaced Teheran and allowed two runs in two innings and was saddled with the loss. 

After Caissie’s homer gave Canada a 2-0 lead in the second inning, Colombia responded with a run in the top of the third when Polo doubled to left centre and DH Michael Arroyo cashed him in with a single 

Canada regained their two-run lead in the bottom of the frame when Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) singled and eventually scored on a bases loaded walk to Toro. 

Canada didn’t score again until the seventh. With one out in that frame, Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.) lofted a fly ball that was dropped by right fielder Jesus Marriaga for a two-base error. Edouard Julien (Quebec City, Que.) then walked and Josh Naylor followed with a single up the middle to score Clarke to make it 4-1. 

After Colombia scored a run in the top of the eighth to make it 4-2, Canada exploded for four runs in the bottom of the frame. Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) led off with a walk and promptly stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Daniel Vellojin. Toro then clubbed a triple to left field to score Black. Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) followed with a single to left to plate Toro to make it 6-2.

Caissie then looped a broken bat single to right that advanced Naylor to third and Clarke scored Naylor with a sacrifice fly to right field. Julien, Josh Naylor and Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.) then walked in succession to score Caissie to make it 8-2, which would be the final score. 

Defensively, Bo Naylor also threw out two runners attempting to steal in the contest. 

Right-hander Indigo Diaz (North Vancouver, B.C.) also had a solid outing, fanning two batters in a scoreless fourth. 

Canada’s field manager Ernie Whitt was pleased with his team’s performance. 

“I was happy with the way we played. We grinded some at-bats out, some real good at-bats. Our pitchers threw strikes . . . It was a good game for us,” he said. 

With the loss, Colombia drops to 0-2 in the tournament. 

Canada will now face Panama at 7 p.m. E.T. on Sunday at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.