Reds crush Team Canada

Published 1:12 am Thursday, March 7, 2013

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Ryan Ludwick and Miguel Olivo hit three-run homers Wednesday night and the Cincinnati Reds piled up 18 hits for a 12-2 victory over Canada’s team in the World Baseball Classic.

The Canadians managed only four hits in a tuneup for their opening WBC game on Saturday. Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who is on Canada’s team, didn’t play.

Mark Hardy, who pitched for Double-A San Antonio last season, struggled through 1 2-3 innings. He allowed six runs on seven hits. Trystan Magnuson, who was Toronto’s first pick in the June 2007 draft, gave up Ludwick’s homer.

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Mat Latos pitched three innings for Cincinnati, allowing two runs on a homer by Adam Loewen.

Rockies 8, Team USA 7

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Brandon Phillips got four hits for Team USA, but the Colorado Rockies rallied for six runs in the bottom of the ninth inning for an 8-7 win Wednesday night.

The final score was a bit misleading — the Rockies’ comeback came against a pair of Colorado minor league pitchers borrowed by the U.S. squad to finish out the game.

It was the final tuneup for the United States before it begins World Baseball Classic play Friday night against Mexico at Chase Field in Phoenix.

David Wright singled twice, drove in a run and made a spectacular play at third base for the U.S. team.

The U.S. team got 18 hits, including Jonathan Lucroy’s two-run double after first baseman Tyler Colvin’s throwing error in the fifth.