Colombia defeats Canada in World Baseball Classic

Colombia shortstop Donovan Solano drove in two runs and the South Americans downed Canada 4-1 on Saturday in a first-round game of the World Baseball Classic.

Colombia, which beat host Panama twice in qualifying just to reach this year's event, improved to 1-1 after an opening loss Friday to the United States.

Despite the victory, Colombia will likely need to upset defending champion Puerto Rico on Sunday to advance to the second round next week in San Diego.

The Canadians, 0-2, must upset the host US squad Sunday to have any chance to advance in the 16-team event, which pits elite global talent against Major League Baseball standouts.

Canada opened the scoring in the first inning when Freddie Freeman hit a line drive single to left field that scored Justin Morneau.

But Solano answered for Colombia in the third inning with a line drive single to left that scored his brother Jhonatan and again smacked a run-scoring single in the fifth to plate Tito Polo with the go-ahead run.

The South Americans padded their lead in the sixth when Canadian relief pitcher Eric Gagne issued Jhonatan Solano a bases-loaded walk and in the ninth on Polo's bunt single to score Oscar Mercado from third base.