Canada tops US in Olympic baseball exhibition

CARY, N.C. (AP) — Scott Thorman had an RBI double in the 10th inning to lead Canada to a 4-3 pre-Olympic exhibition victory over the United States Friday night.

Thorman’s two-out liner down the right-field line off Jeff Stevens scored Stubby Clapp for the Canadians, who didn’t have any baserunners reach third until the eighth yet rallied to claim the first of four pre-Olympic tuneups between the teams before they head to Beijing.

Matt LaPorta, one of the key prospects acquired by the Cleveland Indians in the CC Sabathia trade, homered for the U.S. along with Brian Barden. Terry Tiffee added an RBI double.

Canada rallied from a two-run deficit, taking a brief 3-2 lead on Mike Saunders’ two-run double in the eighth, before Barden tied it at 3-all when he greeted reliever Scott Richmond with a towering drive to left-center.

Richmond struck out three in two innings for the victory, and David Davidson worked a perfect 10th for the save.

Stevens, the fifth of six U.S. pitchers, took the loss. American manager Davey Johnson had said he planned to use the four-game series in the Raleigh area to evaluate his 12 pitchers before settling on the rotation for Beijing.