Mexico tops Canada at world jr. qualifier By Bob Elliott, QMI Agency

Suddenly, it is crunch time for Canada at the World Junior Americas qualifier in Cartagena, Colombia.

Canada must win Saturday against host Colombia with its six pros, or Sunday against undefeated Team USA — or hope Venezuela loses its final two games to Team USA and Mexico in order for Canada to advance to the Worlds in South Korea next year.

Whitby’s Ryan Kellogg faces Colombia Saturday.

After going 5-0 in pool play, Canada lost 3-2 to Mexico Friday and now has a 2-1 record in second-round play.

Down two in the bottom of the ninth Toronto’s Daniel Pinero led-off with a double, moved to third on a single by Brendan Hendriks of Cochrane, Alta., and scored on a fly ball by Justin Atkinson of Surrey, B.C.

Toronto’s Justin Marra singled, putting two runners aboard but a strikeout and a ground ball ended matters.

Pinero hit a two-out single in the sixth to score Toronto’s Gareth Morgan who had doubled.

Port Hope’s Cal Quantrill pitched 5 1/3 innings allowing one run.

Tom Robson of Ladner, B.C. and one of Canada’s four minor-league pros, walked the lead-off man in the eighth and he eventually scored to make it 2-1 Mexico. Mexico scored on a squeeze against London’s Dayton Dawe in the ninth for the winning run.