Jose Bautista has arguably become Canada's most beloved player while helping to turn the Blue Jays from also-rans into perennial contenders. On Thursday, however, the slugger inflicted some major damage on the Great White North, slamming a tape-measure home run for Team Dominican Republic as part of its dominant 9-2 victory over Team Canada to open Pool C of the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Teammates Jose Reyes and Manny Machado were already aboard with one out when Bautista stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning at Marlins Park.