Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger (24) reaches to catch a fly ball hit by Colorado Rockies' C.J. Cron (25) during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game in Scottsdale, Ariz., Sunday, March 5, 2023. Cody Bellinger had two RBIs, including a home run that kick-started Chicago's late run to pull ahead and away as the Cubs defeated Canada 11-7 on Wednesday.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Ashley Landis
MESA, Ariz. – Cody Bellinger had two RBIs, including a home run that kick-started Chicago’s late run to pull ahead and away as the Cubs defeated Canada 11-7 on Wednesday.
Down 4-3 after a scoreless fifth inning, Bellinger hit a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth. With the aid of a passed ball, a Nelson Maldonado RBI single and a wild pitch, Chicago scored three more in the seventh before adding another four runs in the eighth to go up 11-4.
Damiano Palmegiani hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning to cut the deficit for Canada but that was as close as the national team would get in its first of two exhibition games leading up to the World Baseball Classic.
Jacob Robson also homered for Canada, while Jared Young picked up two RBIs.
Mitch Bratt pitched the opening 1 1/3 innings for Canada, giving up one hit and one walk.
Canada next faces the Seattle Mariners in Peoria, Ariz., on Thursday before playing Great Britain on Sunday in its WBC opener.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2023.
