Mexico hands Canada first loss of tourney

PHOENIX -- Team Canada had hoped to be undefeated heading into Saturday's showdown with the United States. Not that being undefeated in its first four games would have changed much for the Canadians, since they were already assured of being one of the top four teams in this week's CONCEBE Regional Olympic Qualifier.

Having already earned the right to advance to August's Americas Olympic Qualifier in Cuba, the idea of meeting their neighbors in a battle of unbeaten teams in Saturday's finale was certainly more than a little appealing to Ernie Whitt's team. So the Canadians had some incentive for Friday's game against Mexico at Maryvale Baseball Park.

Team Mexico, however, was assured of nothing heading into Friday's contest with the Canadians. After dropping its first two games, the Mexicans bested an overmatched Guatemalan team Thursday and needed to keep its momentum going against the Canadians before closing out the tourney with a crucial game against Nicaragua on Saturday.

Behind the stellar pitching of Rigo Beltran, Team Mexico did just that, picking up a surprising 7-2 victory before a pro-Mexico crowd of 321 to keep alive its hopes of advancing while dashing Canada's dreams of an undefeated run. The American squad, meanwhile, topped Panama and will take the only unblemished record into the final day's action. Mike Meyers (Brewers) will get the nod for Team Canada. "It would have been nice to go into tomorrow undefeated but it's still for the championship," Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt said. "If we win tomorrow, we end up winning on head-to-head record. We beat them and it comes down to that, so I would expect it to be a good game."

Beltran garnered international acclaim in 2003 when he pitched the Mexicans past Team USA, eliminating the Americans in the semifinals of the Olympic Qualifier. He was equally impressive Friday, handcuffing Team Canada through his six innings of work. Beltran scattered six hits, walked only one and struck out one in his 95-pitch effort.

"He threw the ball well and changed speeds, hitting his spots and locating," Whitt said. "Give him credit, he did a nice job. We had been swinging the bats well but they knew they had to win. They came out and played aggressive and put it to us."

Team Canada entered Friday's action trailing only the United States in runs scored (30 to 35) and team batting average (.395 to .409). But Beltran's off-speed junkballing and his ability to hit the corners kept the Canadians off-balance throughout. Beltran, who has pitched for the Mets, Rockies, Expos and Cardinals, retired the first eight batters he faced and didn't allow a run to score in the fourth despite Canada putting runners on the corners with no outs. Team Canada finally broke through for a run in the sixth, but by then the Mexicans were already ahead, 4-0.

Canadian pitching, meanwhile, had been stifling all week. The Habs no-hit Guatemala on Wednesday and were sporting a tourney-leading 1.44 ERA prior to Friday's game. Scott Mathieson (Phillies) started and went the first four innings but struggled from the outset, allowing two runs in his four innings of work.

When Manuel Velez doubled in Mexico's first run in the second inning, it marked the first time in the tournament (26 innings) that team Canada had trailed. Team Canada had issued only three walks in 25 innings through three games but issued seven bases on balls to Mexico.

"Mathieson didn't have good location," Whitt said. "He was up in the zone and he ran his pitch count high. Eighty-five pitches in four innings is a lot of pitches. We're here to do well in the tournament but we have to guard his arm, too."

Mexico added its second run in the third inning, scoring on a Luis Garcia double-play ball before breaking the game open with two runs in both the sixth and seventh innings. Team Canada pitchers had also held the opposition to a tourney low .153 batting average heading into Friday, but the Mexicans banged out 17 hits to raise that mark to .236.

Former Cardinal Stubby Clapp continued his torrid pace for Team Canada, collecting two more hits to raise his average to the week to .562 (9-for-16).