Jimmy Van Ostrand had a leading role in Canada striking gold in men's baseball at the Pan American Games in Mexico.
The 27-year-old Richmond native's clutch two-out double in the top of the sixth inning scored the only runs Canada would need to defeat the United States 2-1 in Tuesday's gold medal game.
The result marks the first time Canada has won gold at a major international baseball event. Two weeks earlier, the national team won bronze at the IBAF World Cup in Panama, making this squad the most successful in Baseball Canada's history.
The Americans were clinging to a 1-0 lead when the Canadian bats came to life in the sixth on back-to-back singles by Chris Robinson and Tim Smith. The stage was set for Van Ostrand to cash them both in as he lined a 1-1 pitch by Andy Van Hekken down the right-field line.
After giving up a run in the first inning, Canadian starting pitcher Andrew Albers turned in a phenomenal performance going 6 2/3 innings allowing six hits, while striking out eight and walking none. Reliever Scott Richmond was perfect the rest of the way and fanned the final batter of the game which sent the Canadian players off in a wild, on-field celebration.
"To be going at this for so long and finally accomplish our goal is something truly special," said manager Ernie Whitt.
Prior to joining his Canadian teammates, Van Ostrand enjoyed an impressive 2011 campaign with the Houston Astros' Class AA affiliate -- the Corpus Christi Hooks where he batted .306 with 11 home runs and 48 RBI. He was the Astros eighth round pick in the 2006 Major League Draft.
