Canadians Improve to 2-0 with Win over Italy

ATHENS - Pierre-Luc Laforest (Hull, Que.) homered and drove in a total of four runs while Jason Dickson (London, Ont.) pitched six solid innings as Canada improved to 2-0 in Olympic round-robin play today with a 9-3 victory over Italy.

Laforest hit a three-run home run as part of a seven-run second inning for Canada, which has scored 16 runs while allowing three through two games of play, including a 7-0 victory over Chinese Taipei in its opening game yesterday.

"It feels good to contribute to the win," Laforest said. "Dickson did a great job on the mound and it was nice to get some runs and take some pressure off his shoulders."

Stubby Clapp (Windsor, Ont.) hit a two-run triple while Adam Stern (London, Ont.) and Peter Orr (Richmond Hill, Ont.) each drove in a run during the seven-run outburst in the second frame.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Canada's Danny Klassen (Leamington, Ont.) and Laforest each hit RBI-groundouts to score Orr and Clapp, respectively, giving Canada a lead it would not relinquish.

Canada notched six hits in the game and capitalized on four defensive errors made by Italy while four Canadian pitchers scattered nine hits by the Italian team. 

Dickson, who allowed just two runs on five hits, said getting off to a positive start was important to Canada since the team faces favored Japan, Cuba and Australia in its final three round-robin games.

"It's big for us," said the right-hander. "The first part of our schedule is easier than our last part. We're going to try to beat the teams we should beat because we'll have a tougher time later."

"It's what we needed to do," said manager Ernie Whitt. "It's important to get off to a good start."

Canada will face the Netherlands tomorrow in the third game of round-robin play. Right-hander Shawn Hill (Mississauga, Ont.) is scheduled to start for Canada.