WBC ROUNDUP Monday’s games

Italy 6, Canada 2

TORONTO — Chris Denorfia went 4-for-4 with three doubles, Alex Liddi drove in two runs and Italy eliminated Canada from the World Baseball Classic. Denorfia reached base five times and scored twice. He also knocked in two runs and made a diving catch on Joey Votto’s sinking liner to center field in the seventh. Justin Morneau had four hits but it wasn’t enough as Canada was stifled before a sparse crowd of 12,411.

Puerto Rico 3, Netherlands 1

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Yadier Molina’s go-ahead double keyed a three-run rally in the eighth inning, and Puerto Rico advanced to the second round. Carlos Delgado and Alex Rios opened the eighth inning with walks. After Ivan Rodriguez struck out, Mike Aviles walked to load the bases and Molina followed with a two-run double to left off Leon Boyd that put Puerto Rico in front.

South Korea 1, Japan 0

TOKYO — Kim Tae-kyun drove in the only run to help South Korea beat defending champion Japan 1-0 and finish first in Pool A. Both teams had already advanced to the second round, and Monday’s game was to determine the seedings. Japan will face the Pool B winner in the second round while South Korea takes on the Pool B runner-up in its first game March 15. Japan beat South Korea 14-2 Saturday but couldn’t come up with timely hits after Kim gave his team a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on a grounder down the third base line, scoring Lee Jong-wook from second. South Korea starter Bong Jung-keun held Japan to three hits over 51‚Ñ3 scoreless innings to pick up the win. Japan starter Hisashi Iwakuma, a 21-game winner last season for the Rakuten Eagles, gave up one run on two hits over 51‚Ñ3 innings and took the loss. Japan had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth. Ichiro Suzuki got his first hit of the game with a one-out single to center off South Korea reliever Ryu Hyun-jin. Suzuki advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hiroyuki Nakajima, but Norichika Aoki grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.

Associated Press