Glew: Canada loses 4-3 to Panama at WBC
Canada lost 4-3 to Panama in their second game of the World Baseball Classic on Sunday night. Photo: Baseball Canada
March 8, 2026
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
Canada was edged 4-3 by Panama at the World Baseball Classic at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in a rain-delayed contest on Sunday night.
With the loss, Canada’s record falls to 1-1 and they sit in third place in Pool A behind Puerto Rico (2-0) and Cuba (2-0).
It was a rough night defensively for the Canadians who made three errors, leading to three unearned runs.
“You can't give extra outs, and we paid for it tonight,” said Canada’s manager Ernie Whitt after the game.
Panama did most of their damage in the sixth inning after James Paxton (Ladner, B.C.) entered the game. The veteran lefty, who was saddled with the loss, walked Jose Ramos to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Christian Bethancourt grounded to third baseman Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) whose throw to first was dropped by Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.).
After Luis Castillo flied out, Miguel Amaya hit an infield single to load the bases. Panama then sent Ruben Tejada up to pinch-hit for Leo Jimenez and he promptly looped an infield single up the middle that Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) fielded that scored Ramos. Bethancourt rounded third and Lopez threw to the plate but his throw was cut off by Paxton who then overthrew catcher Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) allowing Bethancourt to score.
Panama’s leadoff hitter Enrique Bradfield Jr. then executed his second bunt single of the game to score Amaya for Panama’s third unearned run of the inning, which made the score 4-2.
All of this came after a solid start from Jameson Taillon who allowed just one run and struck out three in 3 2/3 innings for Canada.
Canada opened the scoring in the second inning when Lopez led off with a single and Toro knocked him with a double to the right-centre field gap.
After Panama tied the game in the top of the fourth, Canada regained the lead in the bottom of the frame when, with two outs, Bo Naylor and Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) singled to put runners on first and third. Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.) then grounded a single through the right side to plate Naylor to make it 2-1.
Veteran right-hander Jaimie Barria, who spent parts of six big league seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, got the start for Panama. He permitted two runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Canadian-born lefty Miguel Cienfuegos (Laval, Que.), whose parents are from Panama, fanned three batters in 2 1/3 innings of perfect relief to pick up the win.
Trailing 4-2, Canada would make it a one-run game in the eighth inning when Bo Naylor singled and scored on a two-out double to deep centre field by Caissie, but that was as close as they would get.
With two hits and two runs, Bo Naylor had a standout game for Canada.
Toro’s double in the second was his third extra-base hit of the tournament.
Lopez had a single and was hit by his second pitch in as many games. With two outs in the top of the eighth inning, Lopez also made a perfect relay throw to nail the speedy Bradfield Jr. at the plate after a Jose Caballero double to keep the score 4-2.
On the mound, Matt Wilkinson (Vancouver, B.C.) struck out both batters he faced in the ninth inning in his WBC debut before a rain delay ended his night.
The start of the game was also delayed one hour by rain.
Canada has Monday off before they face Puerto Rico at 7 p.m. E.T. on Tuesday at Hiram Bithorn Stadium and then Cuba on Wednesday at 3 p.m. E.T.
“Well, we have to win, bottom line,” said Whitt of what lies ahead for Canada in the tournament. “We have to win, and we'll let the math take over from that. I think, if we win the next two, I think we have a good shot of moving on. So our back's against the wall. We know what we have to do. Hopefully we'll straighten some stuff out and get it done.”