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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, November 20, 2005

USA tops Canada, 5-2, in Olympic qualifying

Associated Press

PHOENIX — Howie Kendrick homered and drove in two runs, Bill Murphy pitched six solid innings and Team USA finished regional Olympic qualifying unbeaten yesterday with a 5-2 victory over Canada.

Shane Victorino, a Saint Anthony (Maui) High School alum, had an RBI double for the Americans (5-0), who won the six-team tournament.

Canada, Nicaragua and Panama also advanced to the 2006 Americas Continental Olympic qualifier in Cuba in August. Mexico (2-3) and Guatemala (0-5) were eliminated in round-robin play.

Murphy allowed one run on seven hits. Matt Smith followed with two scoreless innings, and Jim Miller gave up a solo homer to Scott Thorman and got the last three outs.

Jeff Mathis broke a 1-1 tie with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, and Victorino's double off reliever Eric Cyr increased the lead to 3-1 in the eighth. Victorino then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kendrick.

Kendrick hit a solo shot in the first inning off Mike Meyers.