Wilson: Alberta pitchers shine on WBC stage

Calgary Redbirds alum Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) got the start for Canada against the U.S. in their World Baseball Classic quarterfinals showdown on Friday. Photo: Baseball Canada

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on March 15, 2026. You can read it here.

March 16, 2026

By Ian Wilson

Alberta Dugout Stories

They answered the call for Canada.

And, while they may not have delivered a victory, they rose to the occasion in impressive fashion.

In one of the biggest baseball games in Canada’s history, it was Alberta pitchers who took the mound and gave the Americans all they could handle.

Faced with a seemingly impossible task against a star-stacked United States lineup that included Bobby Witt Jr., Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, Kyle Schwarber and Cal Raleigh, Canada sent Calgarian Michael Soroka to the bump to start in the country’s first quarterfinal game in World Baseball Classic (WBC) history.

The experienced major leaguer – who began his pro career as a first-round pick of the Atlanta Braves and signed as a starting pitcher this season with the Arizona Diamondbacks – got Harper out on a fly ball to centre field after walking the leadoff hitter, Witt Jr. Aaron Judge then doubled to put runners at second and third base with one out. The United States scored the first run of the game on a Schwarber ground out to first base, but Soroka limited the damage by getting Alex Bregman to pop out to second base.

The Calgary Redbirds alum set down his next three batters in order, finishing off the top of the second inning with a Brice Turang strikeout.

As American starting pitcher Logan Webb was shutting down Canadian batters – Webb struck out five, while surrendering four hits and no earned runs over 4 2/3 innings – Soroka was working to keep the red-and-white in striking distance of the U.S.

Outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong reached on an infield single in the third inning before getting thrown out at second base on a fielder’s choice. Canadian shortstop Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) then let a shallow pop fly drop so he could throw Witt Jr. out at second base and allow the slower Harper to replace him at first base. With two outs, Soroka appeared to be in control, but a walk to Judge and yet another infield single from Schwarber loaded the bases. It looked like Canada might escape the threat when third baseman Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) made a diving catch on a Bregman grounder, but he sent the throw over first baseman Josh Naylor’s head. The result of the error was two runs and a 3-0 lead for the U.S.

Soroka was pulled for 6-foot-7 Micah Ashman, who struck out Roman Anthony and then added another two Ks in a scoreless fourth frame.

The score remained the same until the sixth inning when Canuck reliever Phillipe Aumont (Gatineau, Que.) yielded an infield hit to Anthony and a walk to Raleigh.

Vauxhall Academy grad Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) had an impressive relief outing for Canada against the U.S. in their WBC quarterfinals showdown on Friday. Photo: Baseball Canada

MACKO TO THE MOUND

Lefty Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) – a graduate of the Vauxhall Academy of Baseball – was summoned to shut things down. A pair of singles from Turang and Crow-Armstrong plated two more runs and inflated the American lead to 5-0. But Macko induced a double play to limit the damage.

The Slovakian-born hurler, who played Little League in Ireland before moving with his family to Alberta, returned to the mound in the seventh inning after a Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) single scored Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) and a monster home run from Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) cut the lead to 5-3.

Macko locked in ahead of the seventh inning stretch against the heart of the U.S. order. He struck out Harper, got Judge to fly out and then prompted Schwarber to strike out swinging to end a four-pitch at bat.

“How about Adam Macko?” said play-by-play announcer Joe Davis.

“Bryce Harper? No problem. Aaron Judge, forget about it … Schwarber, a strikeout. And a one, two, three top of the seventh.”

The final line for the 25-year-old showed two hits, a pair of Ks and no earned runs.

Canada’s batters got runners to second and third base in the bottom of the seventh but they couldn’t bring them home.

Okotoks Dawgs alum Matt Wilkinson (Ladner, B.C.) struck out Cal Raleigh and Bryce Harper in his two scoreless innings of relief in Canada’s WBC showdown against the U.S. on Friday. Photo: Baseball Canada

TUGBOAT TOSSING

The eighth inning saw Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson (Ladner, B.C.) enter the contest and the Okotoks Dawgs Academy product made quick work of his opponents. Bregman popped out to second, Anthony flied out and Raleigh struck out swinging on four pitches.

After Canada went three up, three down in the bottom of the eighth, Wilkinson returned for the ninth inning in a bid to keep his teammates within two runs of tying the game. He walked Turang but then a Crow-Armstrong grounder caused a double play. Following another free pass to Witt Jr., Wilkinson registered three straight balls to Harper before charging back with three consecutive strikes for the K.

In his two innings of work, Tugboat allowed two walks, no hits, no runs and delivered a pair of strikeouts. It was a tidy night for the 23-year-old Cleveland Guardians prospect against some of the world’s best hitters.

Unfortunately for Canada, the comeback bid fell short and the Americans advanced to the semifinals with a 5-3 win, but the Canadians – and the pitchers raised and trained in Alberta – can hold their heads high after proudly representing the nation.

More than 38,000 fans packed into Daikin Park in Houston to watch the U.S. sneak past Canada.

For Wilkinson, who hasn’t played above the High-A level of the minors, it was easily the largest audience he’d pitched in front of.

“The biggest crowd I pitched in before this was when I was 12 at the Little League World Series — it’s a surreal moment,” he told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi.

“It sucks right now because we lost. But looking back at it a couple years down the road, I think it’s going to help me in my career going through the minor leagues. I still have a bunch of stuff to work on, but it’s a stepping stone and I’m excited to get back to spring training.”

Added Wilkinson: “This has been a great opportunity to play up a higher level of baseball. To be able to strike out some MVP candidates and stuff like that, I wouldn’t say it’s a dream come true, but just like a good reality check of how good my stuff is.”

Soroka, who was saddled with the loss, didn’t hide his disappointment.

“It hurts,” said the 28-year-old.

“A lot of people looked at us and thought we were not necessarily even expected to get our pool, for whatever reason. We expected to do that. We knew we were going to put up a good fight today and we did. But that’s baseball. Things could have easily went another way and we gave them a good run for it. So it hurts and a lot of guys are excited to get back out there when we’re able to do this again.”