2026 World Baseball Classic

The 2026 World Baseball Classic was the sixth World Baseball Classic. It took place from March 5-17, 2026. It featured 20 teams and games took place in Houston, TX, Tokyo, San Juan, PR and Miami, FL. The finals were held in loanDepot Park for the second straight year.  Venezuela was the surprise winner of the tournament, upsetting the  United States in a tight final game, 3-2, with 3B Maikel García being named the tournament MVP. It was not only the first win for Venezuela, but also the first time reaching the finals for them, while the U.S. finished in second place for the second straight edition.

The tournament was preceded, as in recent editions, by Qualifiers that were played in February and March, 2025. Those two pools determined the final four participants ( Nicaragua,  Chinese Taipei,  Colombia,  Brazil) in the tournament, with the top sixteen spots awarded based on results in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The only change from 2023 was Brazil replacing China; Brazil had previously played in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

As in the previous edition, the 20 teams were divided into four pools of five teams, with Pool A based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Pool B in Houston, TX, Pool C in Tokyo, Japan and Pool D in Miami, FL, with the first game taking place on March 5th in Tokyo. The quarterfinals will take place in Houston and Miami, and the semi-finals and finals in Miami, with the championship game on March 17th.

The event was the first qualifier for the 2028 Olympics, with the top two teams from the Americas (other than Olympic host USA) qualifying for the Olympics.

Rosters and Umpires

• 2026 World Baseball Classic (Rosters) and 2026 World Baseball Classic (Umpires)

Game Results

March 5

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chinese Taipei	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Australia	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	3	7	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Jack O'Loughlin (1-0); Loss: Po-Yu Chen (0-1); Save: Jon Kennedy (1)
Home Runs
Australia: Robbie Perkins, Travis Bazzana
Umpires
HP: Omar Peralta (Cuba); 1B: Manny Gonzalez (Venezuela); 2B: Chad Fairchild (USA); 3B: Charlie Ramos (USA)
Time of Game: 2:15 Attendance: 40,523

This year's opener was a pitching duel between Taiwan and Australia. Alex Wells walked RF Chieh-Hsien Chen with two outs in the 1st but struck out 6 of the 10 batters he faced, the walk leading to the lone baserunner off him. Jo-Hsi Hsu wasn't quite as dominant but breezed through four innings. In the 5th, Po-Yu Chen took over and plunked 1B Rixon Wingrove then C Robbie Perkins went deep to produce the first runs of the 2026 WBC. Jack O'Loughlin succeeded Wells and ran into a little trouble in the 6th when DH An-Ko Lin had a two-out single and Chieh-Hsien Chen was hit by a pitch, but O'Loughlin got 3B Yu Chang on a grounder to end the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Australia loaded the bases off Yi-Lei Sun but Yi Chang came in and retired LF Chris Burke to keep it a two-run game. In the 7th, Cleveland Guardians prospect Travis Bazzana showcased some of his potential by homering off Chang to make it 3-0 for the Aussies. Jon Kennedy followed O'Loughlin and Wells; like them, he turned in three shutout innings, saving the win for O'Loughlin.

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Czech Republic	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	1	4	9	1
South Korea	4	1	1	0	2	0	2	1	x	11	10	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Hyeong-jun So (1-0); Loss: Daniel Padyšák (0-1)
Home Runs
Czechia: Terrin Vavra South Korea: Bo-gyeong Moon, Shay Whitcomb 2, Jahmai Jones
Umpires
HP: David Rackley (USA); 1B: Edward Pinales (Dominican Republic); 2B: Ryan Additon (USA); 3B: Edwin Louisa (Netherlands)
Time of Game: 2:39 Attendance: 19,920

As expected, the nightcap was more lopsided. In the bottom of the 1st, Daniel Padyšák walked DH Do-yeong Kim and retired LF Jahmai Jones on a line drive, the lone batter he would get out. CF Jung-hoo Lee singled, RF Hyun-min Ahn walked and 1B Bo-gyeong Moon's grand slam chased Padyšák in favor of Jeff Barto. The Czechs got a moral victory in that they prevented a mercy rule rout after that rocky inning, but the Koreans kept padding it on. Their ringers really chipped in as Jones socked a two-run homer off Lukáš Hlouch and 3B/SS Shay Whitcomb went deep twice. Moon finished with five RBI and ten different players crossed home for the Asian entry. Jan Novák was the only one of the six Czech hurlers who did not yield a run, working a scoreless 6th. While Hyeong-jun So blanked them for the first three, the Czechs avoided a whitewash with a tree-run 5th against Woo-joo Jeong that briefly pulled them within 3 runs - DH Max Prejda walked, 3B Martin Červinka singled and SS Terrin Vavra (one of their few ringers and their only player with MLB experience) cracked a three-run homer.

March 6

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Australia	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	9	1
Czech Republic	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Josh Hendrickson (1-0); Loss: Tomáš Ondra (0-1)
Home Runs
Australia: Curtis Mead, Alex Hall
Umpires
HP: Ryan Additon (USA); 1B: Rubén Ramos (Puerto Rico); 2B: Todd Tichenor (USA); 3B: Edward Pinales (Dominican Republic)
Time of Game: 2:17 Attendance: 21,514

The Czechs got their first lead of this tourney in the 2nd when C Martin Červenka doubled off Josh Hendrickson, CF Marek Chlup walked, 1B Martin Mužík bunted them over and 2B Vojtěch Menšík hit a sacrifice fly. That was the only run Australia allowed, having now yielded one run in eighteen innings, as Coen Wynne, Blake Townsend, Ky Hampton, Todd Van Steensel and Mitch Neunborn gave up only two hits in six shutout innings of relief. After being blanked by Tomáš Ondra for the first two innings, the islanders took control of the game in the 3rd. LF Chris Burke had a one-out single and was erased when RF Tim Kennelly hit into a force out. 2B Travis Bazzana walked and 3B Curtis Mead homered to left for a 3-1 edge. The Czechs remained within two until the 9th, with 3 2/3 shutout innings from Ondřej Satoria playing a big role. DH Alex Hall opened the 9th with a solo shot off Ryan Johnson, SS Jarryd Dale tripled and 1B Rixon Wingrove walked. Marek Minařík took over for Johnson but allowed a RBI single to C Robbie Perkins for the final 5-1 score.

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Japan	0	10	3	0	0	0	0	13	13	1
Chinese Taipei	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-0); Loss: Hao-Chun Cheng (0-1)
Home Runs
Japan: Shohei Ohtani
Umpires
HP: Jordan Baker (USA); 1B: David Rackley (USA); 2B: Omar Peralta (Cuba); 3B: Edwin Louisa (Netherlands)
Time of Game: 2:36 Attendance: 42,314

The defending champs kicked off their title defense with the first mercy rule win of this year's tournament. DH Shohei Ohtani hit a grand slam, collected five RBI and finished a triple shy of the cycle while 1B Munetaka Murakami scored three times and SS Sosuke Genda had three hits and three RBI. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shoma Fujihira, Hiroya Miyagi, Koki Kitayama and Ryuhei Sotani walked five but combined on a one-hit whitewash; 3B Yu Chang had Taiwan's lone hit. Starter Hao-Chun Cheng surrendered eight runs in 1 2/3 IP and the next two pitchers also were hit hard before Jun-Wei Zhang turned in 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	5	0
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	5	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Liván Moinelo (1-0); Loss: Logan Allen (0-1); Save: Raidel Martínez (1)
Home Runs
Cuba: Yoelkis Guibert, Yoán Moncada
Umpires
HP: Tomoya Ishiyama (Japan); 1B: Tripp Gibson (USA); 2B: Nestor Ceja (Mexico); 3B: Chan-Jung Chang (taiwan)
Time of Game: 2:38 Attendance: 10.015

Cuba opened its tournament with a 3-1 win thanks to two homers off Panamanian starting pitcher Logan Allen, a solo shot by RF Yoelkis Guibert on a line drive to the right field corner in the 2nd, and a two-run blast by 3B Yoán Moncada the next inning. Panama put a few runners on base in the early innings against Liván Moinelo, but was never able to push anyone across before being completely muzzled by Yariel Rodríguez over 2 1/3 innings. However, they managed to stay in the game as the relievers who followed Allen were all good, not giving up any more runs. In the 7th, Panama finally broke through when Leonardo Bernal led off with a single off Emmanuel Chapman and stole second base, then scored on a single by Johan Camargo. That was it, however, as Cuba's next three pitchers nailed down the win, with closer Raidel Martínez showing dominating form in the 9th.

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Netherlands	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	4	1
Venezuela	1	1	0	0	4	0	0	0	x	6	11	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Ranger Suárez (1-0); Loss: Antwone Kelly (0-1)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Javier Sanoja
Umpires
HP: Shane Livensparger (USA); 1B: Michael Ulloa (Spain); 2B: Gabe Morales (USA); 3B: Trent Thomas (Australia)
Time of Game: 2:54 Attendance: 19,542

The game was close for the first few innings as Venezuela scored first in the bottom of the 1st, when Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a lead-off double off Antwone Kelly and was driven in by a single by Luis Arráez. The Netherlands replied immediately, though, as a double by Druw Jones drove in Hendrik Clementina. However, Venezuela replied in turn with another run in the bottom of the 2nd on a solo homer by Javier Sanoja. That would prove to be the winning run as things settled down after that, until Venezuela broke through with four runs in the 5th, taking advantage of wildness by reliever Jaydenn Estanista. He plunked the first batter he faced, Andrés Giménez, with a pitch, then walked Acuña. A single by Maikel García loaded the bases, and another walk, to Arráez, pushed across a run. Eric Mendez came in to pitch, but he allowed a two-run single to Willson Contreras and another single by Wilyer Abreu made it 6-1. The Netherlands scored once in the top of the 6th, but it was too little too late as Venezuela won, 6-2.

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mexico	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	4	8	6	0
United Kingdom	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	2	8	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Robert Garcia (1-0); Loss: Gary Gill Hill (0-1)
Home Runs
Mexico: Nacho Alvarez Jr., Jonathan Aranda Great Britain Harry Ford
Umpires
HP: Roberto Ortiz (Puerto Rico); 1B: Alex Tosi (Canada); 2B: Robert Nunez (Puerto Rico); 3B: Il-soo Chun (South Korea)
Time of Game: 3:12 Attendance: 29,724

This game was close for seven innings, with Great Britain on the verge of creating a major upset, until Mexico's bats went to work in the final two innings and made the final score lopsided. Mexico scored first against British starter Jack Anderson when 3B Nacho Alvarez Jr. hit a solo homer in the 2nd inning. The score stayed at 1-0 for a while as Anderson and relievers Nick Wells and Ryan Long hardly gave up anything else, the latter two combining on three hitless and scoreless innings from the 4th to the 6th. Mexico's first three pitchers were also excellent, with starter Javier Assad and relievers Brennan Bernardino and Luis Gastélum holding the Brits scoreless through the first five innings. C Harry Ford broke the spell with a solo homer off Alex Carrillo with one out in the 6th. Now, the score was tied at 1-1, and Great Britain was looking at a potential history-making upset, especially when after a second out in the bottom of the 6th, Samy Natera walked two batters and Ivan Johnson followed with a single; however, in one of the key plays of the game, LF Randy Arozarena gunned down the lead baserunner, Matt Koperniak, at home and Great Britain failed to take the lead. Gary Gill Hill then pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 7th, but Robert Garcia mowed them down in order in the bottom of the frame. Mexico finally broke through against Gill Hill in the 8th when Jarren Duran and Arozarena drew back-to-back two-out walks. In came Tristan Beck to face Jonathan Aranda, and the first baseman homered to left, shattering Britain's hopes. Mexico then poured it on in the 9th. scoring four more runs, and Great Britain saved face to some extent with a consolation run in the bottom of the 9th. The final score of 8-2 did not reflect how tightly fought the game had been for eight innings.

at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	5	5	0
Colombia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Seth Lugo (1-0); Loss: Adrián Almeida (0-1)
Home Runs
none
Umpires
HP: Alex MacKay (USA); 1B: Mario Villavicencio (Mexico); 2B: Junior Valentine (USA); 3B: Domingo Paulino (Dominican Republic)
Time of Game: 2:55 Attendance: 18,793

This game was a pitchers' duel as all of the runs in the game were scored in one half-inning; the rest of the time, the pitchers for both teams laid goose eggs. Puerto Rico received a great start from Seth Lugo, who went four innings and gave up no runs on three hits. Six more pitchers took the mound for them, four for exactly one inning, and two who shared the 8th, and only Angel Reyes gave Colombia any hope, as he gave up a pair of hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning before Fernando Cruz came in to record the final out, getting Jordan Díaz to fly out with the bases loaded. By that time, Puerto Rico had built a 5-0 lead thanks to one big inning. In the 5th, after three strong innings from starter José Quintana and a scoreless 4th from Adrián Almeida, the Puerto Ricans jumped all over Almeida. A single, a rare fielding error by 3B Gio Urshela and another single resulted in two runs, then after a first out, light-hitting C Martin Maldonado singled in a third run. Willi Castro followed with a double off David Lorduy and Heliot Ramos closed out the scoring with a sacrifice fly. Outside of that inning, Puerto Rico did not do much with the bat, but that inning had been amply sufficient to give them the win.

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Nicaragua	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	9	1
Dominican Republic	2	0	1	0	0	2	1	6	x	12	14	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Seranthony Dominguez (1-0); Loss: Stiven Cruz (0-1)
Home Runs
Dominican Republic: Junior Caminero, Julio Rodríguez, Oneil Cruz
Umpires
HP: Paul Clemons (USA); 1B: Lance Barksdale (USA); 2B: Serge Makouchetchev (France); 3B: Marek Vičar (Czechia)
Time of Game: 3:20 Attendance: 35,127

The Dominicans opened their tournament with a bang, as they came within one hit of winning their opener by mercy rule over Nicaragua. However, for the first six innings, this was a close game, with the score still 3-3 in the middle of the 6th. One reason for that was that Dominican starter Cristopher Sánchez did not have a good outing as he lasted 1 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on six hits and a walk. Things started poorly as he struck out leadoff batter Chase Dawson, but the ball escaped catcher Austin Wells and Dawson was safe on first. The next two batters hit singles, scoring a first run and Sánchez walked Mark Vientos, the only major leaguer in Nicaragua's starting lineup, to load the bases before striking out the next three, incidentally becoming the first pitcher with a four-strikeout inning in tournament history. The Dominicans replied immediately however, with a single by Fernando Tatis Jr., a double by Ketel Marte, and a ground out by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., resulting in two runs. But in spite of all the strikeouts, Sánchez again struggled in the 2nd, as a lead-off single by Cristhian Sandoval followed by a double by Freddy Zamora tied the score, and a single by Dawson put Nicaragua ahead, 3-2. However, the Central Americans never did much of anything at the plate after Huascar Brazobán came in in relief: until the end of the 8th, six relievers starting with Brazobán gave up all of one hit. The Dominicans tied the score with a run in the 3rd, then began to put the game away in the 5th when Junior Caminero blasted a two-run homer off Stiven Cruz. But they really went to work on the back-end of Nicaragua's bullpen in the 8th, when Julio Rodríguez led off with a homer, and then the levee broke, with pinch-hitter Oneil Cruz hitting a huge three-run homer 450 feet to right. Guerrero drove in his third run of the game with a double, and scored the sixth run of the inning (and 12th overall) on a single by Rodriguez. The run that would have ended the game an inning early was on third base when Wells flied out to end the inning.

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
United States	2	0	1	0	4	0	0	1	7	15	10	1
Brazil	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	1	0	5	6	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Logan Webb (1-0); Loss: Bo Takahashi (0-1)
Home Runs
USA: Aaron Judge Brazil Lucas Ramírez (2), Victor Mascai
Umpires
HP: Brennan Miller (USA); 1B: Adrian Johnson (USA); 2B: César Quintana (Austria); 3B: Zdeněk Židek (Czechia)
Time of Game: 3:30 Attendance: 30,825

The contrast between the star-laden Team USA and the upstart Brazilians could be clearly seen in one department: four pitchers for the U.S. combined to strike out 16 opponents while walking just one, while nine Brazilian hurlers walked 17 but struck out just 2. That was the main explanation for the lopsided final score, as the U.S. only outhit Brazil 10 to 6, and the Brazilians actually outhomered them, 3 to 1. The final outcome was never much in doubt however: in the 1st inning, the U.S. captain, Aaron Judge, hit a two-run homer off Bo Takahashi, and the U.S. never trailed after that. Brazil did score once against Logan Webb in the bottom of the 1st, as Lucas Ramírez, son of Manny Ramirez, led off the inning with a homer of his own. But the U.S. added a run in the 3rd and 4 in the 5th and the main question was whether the mercy rule would kick in to bring the game to an end. Brazil made that unlikely when they scored three runs in the bottom of the 7th on a run-scoring single by Lucas Rojo followed by a two-run homer by Victor Mascai, all the damage coming off Michael Wacha. After the U.S. scored once in the top of the 8th, Ramírez hit his second homer of the night in the bottom of that inning to make it 8-5. That was too close for comfort for the Americans: they exploded for seven runs in the 9th to make the final score 15-5, but the Brazilians had fought valiantly before being done in by their pitchers' generosity. The most memorable moment of the game came in the top of the 2nd, when the score was still 2-1: 17-year-old high schooler Joseph Contreras faced Judge with the bases loaded and forced him to ground into an inning-ending double play!

March 7

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chinese Taipei	2	4	0	2	1	5	0	x	x	14	11	0
Czech Republic	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	x	x	0	4	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang (1-0); Loss: Jan Novák (0-1)
Home Runs
Chinese Taipei: Stuart Fairchild
Umpires
HP: Rubén Ramos (Puerto Rico); 1B: Omar Peralta (Cuba); 2B: Chad Fairchild (USA); 3B: Manny Gonzalez (Venezuela)
Time of Game: 2:20 Attendance: 40,522

Taiwan's first win came in dominant fashion as Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang, Yu-Min Lin, Kai-Wei Lin and Jyun-Yue Tseng combined on a four-hitter, walking one and striking out ten. Jan Novák had been the Czech's top hurler in their opener but the former O's farmhand was rocked today for 6 runs in 2 2/3 IP in a mercy rule rout. DH Stuart Fairchild hit a grand slam and scored four times while 3B/1B Yu Chang drove in four with 3 hits and 2B Tsung-Che Cheng scored three times and reached base four times.

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea	3	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	6	9	0
Japan	2	0	3	0	0	0	3	0	x	8	7	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Atsuki Taneichi (1-0); Loss: Yeong Hyun Park (0-1); Save: Taisei Ota (1)
Home Runs
Japan: Seiya Suzuki 2, Shohei Ohtani (2), Masataka Yoshida South Korea: Hyeseong Kim
Umpires
HP: Todd Tichenor (USA); 1B: Jordan Baker (USA); 2B: Edward Pinales (Dominican Republic); 3B: Edwin Louisa (Netherlands)
Time of Game: 3:04 Attendance: 42,318

In a matchup of Asia's powerhouses, the defending champs had a much harder time of it than in their opener. DH Do-yeong Kim opened the day with a hit off Yusei Kikuchi, then LF Jahmai Jones and CF Jung-hoo Lee followed suit. Kikuchi got two outs but 3B Bo-gyeong Moon doubled for a 3-0 lead. Japan answered quickly against Young-pyo Ko as DH Shohei Ohtani walked and CF Seiya Suzuki hit the first of his two dingers today. After no one reached in the second, South Korea stranded two in the top of the 3rd. In the bottom of the inning, Ohtani homered to tie it and Suzuki added his second long ball. Young-pyo Ko took over for Ko but LF Masataka Yoshida gave him a rude greeting with the third circuit clout of the inning, giving the hosts a 5-3 edge.

Korea got back into it in the 4th against Hiromi Itoh. SS Ju-won Kim got hit then 2B Hye-seong Kim hit one high and out to even it up. Things settled down for a bit, but Japan took the lead for good in the 7th. Yeong-hyun Park issued a walk to 2B Shugo Maki and Taisei Makihara pinch-ran; he advanced on a bunt and a grounder, then Ohtani was intentionally walked. Young-kyu Kim took over on the hill but walked RF Kensuke Kondoh on five pitches and Suzuki also on five pitches to make it 6-5. Yoshida then singled in a pair and Japan had a solid 3-run cushion. Korea got a bit closer in the 8th against Yuki Matsumoto. Jung-hoo Lee doubled and scored on a two-out hit by Ju-won Kim, but Matsumoto fanned Hye-seong Kim with the bases juiced to end the inning. In the 9th, Taisei Ota went 1-2-3 against the top of Korea's order to save it.

at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Colombia	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	6	2
Canada	0	2	1	0	0	0	1	4	x	8	8	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Michael Soroka (1-0); Loss: Austin Bergner (0-1)
Home Runs
Canada: Owen Caissie
Umpires
HP: Junior Valentine (USA); 1B: Tomoya Ishiyama (Japan); 2B: Vic Carapazza (USA); 3B: Mario Villavicencio (Mexico)
Time of Game: 3:08 Attendance: 10,293

Things started wrong for Colombia, as after going down in the top of the 1st, their scheduled starting pitcher, veteran Julio Teherán, was forced to pull out with a shoulder issue while warming up and had to be replaced by Austin Bergner. Canada took the lead it would never relinquish when Owen Caissie hit a two-run homer off Bergner in the 2nd. Colombia managed to halve the lead in the 3rd on a double by Tito Polo and a single by Michael Arroyo, but Canada immediately got that run back in the bottom of the inning on a bases-loaded walk issued by Emerson Martínez. Michael Soroka left after pitching three innings, having been helped by two runners having been caught stealing and another thrown out at home. There were no such worries for his successors, Indigo Diaz and Noah Skirrow, who combined to pitch four innings of one-hit ball. Canada added an insurance run in the 7th when RF Jesús Marriaga dropped Denzel Clarke's fly ball for a two-base error, after which Clarke scored on a single by his cousin, Josh Naylor. Colombia scored once in the 8th before Eric Cerantola came in to strike out Gio Urshela on three pitches. Canada then scored four runs in the bottom of the 8th to put the game away, as Abraham Toro finished with a double, a triple, a walk, two runs scored and two RBIs.

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Brazil	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Italy	0	0	0	0	0	2	4	2	x	8	12	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Alek Jacob (1-0); Loss: Héctor Villarroel (0-1)
Home Runs
Italy: Dante Nori 2, Dominic Canzone
Umpires
HP: Il-soo Chun (South Korea); 1B: Roberto Ortíz (Puerto Rico); 2B: Brennan Miller (USA); 3B: Zdeněk Židek (Czech Republic)
Time of Game: 2:47 Attendance: 29,357

The Italians began their tourney with a rout, but it was close for half the game as both starting pitchers were nearly untouchable. Sam Aldegheri, one of the few native Italians on an American-laden team, represented Europe well with 8 strikeouts in 4 2/3 shutout innings, giving up one hit, while counterpart Enzo Sawayama went four scoreless. Héctor Villarroel blanked Italy in the 5th but they got to the Venezuelan in the 6th. 2B Jon Berti (who had 3 hits today) led off with a walk and stole second while DH Dominic Canzone walked one batter later. 3B Zach Dezenzo singled in the game's first run and RF Jac Caglianone had a two-out RBI double but Dezenzo was thrown out at home. In the 7th, LF Dante Nori took Murilo Gouvêa deep and Canzone cracked a 3-run shot off Oscar Nakaoshi, who inherited two runners. Nori added another homer the next inning, off late addition Caio De Araujo, then Berti doubled and came around on a Canzone single as Canzone finished with four RBI. Alek Jacob, Gordon Graceffo and Claudio Scotti wrapped up Italy's shutout.

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Nicaragua	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	3	9	0
Netherlands	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	4	10	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Lars Huijer (1-0); Loss: Ángel Obando (0-1)
Home Runs
Nicaragua: Jeter Downs Netherlands: Ozzie Albies
Umpires
HP: Trent Thomas (Australia); 1B: Quinn Wolcott (USA); 2B: Shane Livensparger (USA); 3B: Alejandro Pecero (Panama)
Time of Game: 2:45 Attendance: 16,897

In a game with an exciting finish, the starters were a contrast in ages as 18-year-old giant Jaitone Kelly took the hill for the Netherlands versus 35-year-old veteran Erasmo Ramírez for Nicaragua (he had debuted in the majors the year Kelly turned 4). Both had solid days, Kelly going two scoreless while Ramírez gave up one run in five. That came in the 3rd when RF Druw Jones singled, CF Ceddanne Rafaela had a one-out single, 3B Xander Bogaerts was plunked and 2B Ozzie Albies was hit as well, forcing in Jones. Kevin Kelly relieved his much younger namesake in the 3rd and also began with two shutout innings but Nicaragua got to him in the 5th. LF Chase Dawson and 2B Jeter Downs hit back-to-back doubles and CF Ismael Munguía was intentionally walked to bring up cleanup man DH Mark Vientos. Derek West took over and struck out Vientos for the second out but walked 3B Cheslor Cuthbert to force in a run. West then struck out 1B Emanuel Trujillo to escape further harm.

Nicaragua went ahead in the 8th. After again leaving the bases loaded in the 7th, their first two batters went down against Lars Huijer but Dawson was hit, then Downs homered for a 3-1 lead. Ángel Obando had worked 2 1/3 shutout innings so Dusty Baker left him in for the 9th. He got two quick outs and it looked like Nicaragua would get its first WBC win ever. That was not to be as Rafaela singled, Bogaerts doubled and Albies hit a dramatic sayonara three-run bomb. It was the first sayonara shot in WBC annals!

at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	6	0
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	2	4	10	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: José Espada (1-0); Loss: Severino González (0-1)
Home Runs
Puerto Rico: Darell Hernaiz
Umpires
HP: Laz Díaz (USA); 1B: Alex MacKay (USA); 2B: Domingo Paulino (Dominican Republic); 3B: Chan-Jung Chang (Chinese Taipei)
Time of Game: 3:26 Attendance: 18,925

The game between Panama and Puerto Rico was an instant classic, as Panama came close to pulling off a massive upset in front of a packed crowd at Hiram Bithorn Stadium before Puerto Rico rallied twice with its back to the wall to pull off a win. The game started with a great pitching duel between veteran Ariel Jurado, who used breaking balls and off-speed stuff to keep Puerto Rico's hitters off balance for five innings, and Puerto Rican youngster Eduardo Rivera who used his massive 6' 7" frame to overpower Panama's hitters. However, after one out in the 5th, one of Rivera's pitches barely grazed the arm of Jonathan Araúz with a pitch, and manager Yadier Molina decided to replace him with veteran reliever Jorge López. That turned out to be a poor choice, as López immediately gave up a double to Christian Bethancourt that CF Bryan Torres bobbled after it hit the wall, allowing a first run to score and Bethancourt to reach third. Luis Castillo followed with another double to make it 2-0. Castillo was caught in a rundown on a ground ball by José Caballero and was eventually tagged out, but not before Caballero had slid safely into second base. Ricardo Vélez then took the mound but he immediately plunked Edmundo Sosa with a pitch before getting Leonardo Bernal to ground out.

That slim two-run lead looked for a time like it would suffice for Panama. Puerto Rico did get on the scoreboard in the 6th when they loaded the bases with nobody out against reliever Javy Guerra, after which Nolan Arenado hit a sacrifice fly, but Kenny Hernández induced Carlos Cortes to hit into a double play as Panama snuffed out a potential big inning. After a 20-minute rain delay, in the bottom of the 8th, with the score still 2-1, Panama escaped another jam when lefty Alberto Baldonado came in with two outs to force Cortes to ground out again, with the tying run on base. Baldonado returned for the 9th but he struggled with his control, walking Eddie Rosario with one out before giving up a single to Martín Maldonado, with Rosario advancing to third base. Christian Vázquez followed with a fly ball to right, but it was too shallow for Rosario to test Castillo's arm. Needing one more out, Baldonado was unable to find the plate, however, first walking Matthew Lugo to load the bases, and then Willi Castro to force in the tying run. That's when manager Julio Mosquera finally made a move, bringing in Severino González to pitch. He needed just one pitch to get Heliot Ramos to hit into a force out, moving the game to extra innings.

With the tiebreaker rule in effect, Bethancourt started the 10th inning at second base for Panama and was moved over to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Castillo. Caballero followed with a single to give Panama a 3-2 lead. He then stole second base but was unable to advance to third when Sosa grounded out. Bernal followed with a single, but RF Cortes gunned down the speedy Caballero at the plate to end the inning. It was now up to González to preserve a one-run lead, but he would have to do it with Ramos starting the inning on second. Like Panama, Puerto Rico called for a bunt, but González failed to pick it up cleanly and Luis Vázquez was safe at first while Ramos advanced to third. Next up was Cortes, who once again grounded into double play, with SS Caballero fielding the ball, touching the bag and firing to Bethancourt at first base. Both plays were extremely close, and Puerto Rico challenged them, but the two outs were confirmed. However, Ramos had crossed the plate to tie the game again. With two outs and the bases empty, it looked like the game was headed for an 11th inning, but González left a pitch hanging over the plate and Darell Hernaiz got all of it, blasting a no-doubt homer into deep left field to end the game. Panama had come oh so close, but Puerto Rico had managed to pull out the win, improving to 2-0.

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Israel	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	3	7	2
Venezuela	4	0	0	0	1	5	0	1	x	11	14	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Enmanuel De Jesús (1-0); Loss: Ben Simon (0-1)
Home Runs
Israel: RJ Schreck, Harrison Bader Venezuela: Eugenio Suárez, Luis Arráez 2
Umpires
HP: Gabe Morales (USA); 1B: Marek Vičar (Czech Republic); 2B: Paul Clemons (USA); 3B: Michael Ulloa (Spain)
Time of Game: 2:37 Attendance: 22,537

In a lopsided game, 1B Luis Arráez had two doubles, two homers, four runs and five RBI while SS Ezequiel Tovar reached all four times from the bottom of the order. Enmanuel De Jesús allowed two hits and one run in five; while his bullpen was not quite as sharp, their staff avoided a walk. For the Americans (no actual Israelis played in this game), Ben Simon only lasted 1/3 of an inning, yielding four runs, with Charlie Beilenson (1 2/3 IP) being their lone starter who did not give up a run. RF RJ Schreck and CF Harrison Bader each hit solo homers in a losing cause.

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
United Kingdom	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	2
United States	0	0	0	0	5	3	1	0	x	9	12	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Clay Holmes (1-0); Loss: Andre Scrubb (0-1)
Home Runs
Great Britain: Nate Eaton USA: Kyle Schwarber
Umpires
HP: Alex Tosi (Canada); 1B: David Arrieta (Venezuela); 2B: Scott Barry (USA); 3B: Robert Nunez (Puerto Rico)
Time of Game: 2:57 Attendance: 34,368

CF Nate Eaton began the game with a long ball off Tarik Skubal but he would be the lone British team player to get a hit today, reaching three times. Skubal, Clay Holmes, David Bednar, Griffin Jax and Brad Keller struck out 17 in doing an excellent job after that rocky start. The hitters took a while to get going for the 2017 champs, though. Fellow Americans Tyler Viza and Najer Victor shut them out for the first four innings, on two hits and one walk. The US offensive began innocently enough when 2B Ernie Clement reached on a one-out error in the 5th by 3B Ivan Johnson. Andre Scrubb entered, a late addition to the British roster, and CF Pete Crow-Armstrong greeted him with a double. A wild pitch tied it then DH Kyle Schwarber homered for a 3-1 lead. The US kept piling up the runs from there with SS Gunnar Henderson pacing the offense with four hits, driving in a pair.

March 8

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Chinese Taipei	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	1	5	7	0
South Korea	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	1	0	0	4	4	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yi Chang (1-0); Loss: Woo-suk Go (0-1); Save: Jyun-Yue Tseng (1)
Home Runs
Taiwan: Yu Chang, Tsung-Che Cheng, Stuart Fairchild (2) South Korea: Do-yeong Kim
Umpires
HP: Manny Gonzalez (Venezuela); 1B: David Rackley (USA); 2B: Rubén Ramos (Puerto Rico); 3B: Omar Peralta (Cuba)
Time of Game: 2:58 Attendance: 40,584

Taiwan kept their hopes alive with a huge upset over Korea. Hyun-jin Ryu, one of the greatest Korean hurlers ever, took the hill in his first World Baseball Classic. He went 1-2-3 in the first but 3B Yu Chang teed off on him to open the second. Taiwan got two men into scoring position in the third after a double steal but Ryu whiffed CF Stuart Fairchild to put down that threat. Ruei-Yang Gu Lin cruised through four, maintaining that slim 1-0 lead. In the 5th, RF Hyun-min Ahn walked and DH Bo-gyeong Moon singled Ahn to third; Wei-En Lin relieved. 1B Shay Whitcomb grounded into a run-scoring double play to tie the contest.

2B Tsung-Che Cheng homered off Been Gwak to begin the 6th, putting the islanders back in the lead. In the bottom of the inning, C Dong-won Park worked Wei-En Lin for a walk and 3B Do-yeong Kim went deep to give Korea its first lead of the day. Taiwan had two runners reach against Gwak in the 7th but Dane Dunning came in and enduced a double-play ball from C Lyle Lin to put down that rally. SS Kun-Yu Chiang singled off Dunning to open the 8th; with two away, Fairchild redeemed himself from his earlier clutch strikeout by socking one out to put his team back ahead, 4-3. Taiwan turned to Yi-Lei Sun for the hold. He got two quick outs then 2B Hye-seong Kim walked and Do-yeong Kim remained hot with a game-tying double. Sun struck out LF Jahmai Jones and the game went on to the 9th.

Woo-suk Go retired the side in order in the top of the 9th. In the bottom of the inning, Sun hit CF Hae-min Park with one away. With two outs, Yi Chang relieved but walked Whitcomb. SS Ju-won Kim then flew out to send the game into extra innings. With the starting runner aboard, PH Shao-Hung Chiang laid down a bunt hit to put men on the corners. Chiang then dropped down a squeeze bunt that made it 5-4 and would wind up being the winning play. Go and Kyung-eun Noh closed out the 10th, bringing their countrymates up with their last chance. Jyun-Yue Tseng came in for the save and backup catcher Hyung-jun Kim bunted starting runner Ju-won Kim to third. With the tying run 90 feet away, Hye-seong Kim grounded to 1B Nien-Ting Wu and he threw home to nab Ju-won Kim. Hye-seong Kim stole second, bringing up Do-yeong Kim, but unlike the rest of the day (in which he had 75% of their total bases), he came up empty this time, flying out to RF Cheng-Jui Sung to end it.

at Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Australia	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	3	8	0
Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	x	4	5	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Chihiro Sumida (1-0); Loss: Jon Kennedy (0-1); Save: Taisei Ota (2)
Home Runs
Australia: Alex Hall (2), Rixon Wingrove Japan: Masataka Yoshida (2)
Umpires
HP: Chad Fairchild (USA); 1B: Edwin Louisa (Netherlands); 2B: Ryan Additon (USA); 3B: Edward Pinales (Dominican Republic)
Time of Game: 2:33 Attendance: 42,331

Australia almost made it two upsets in the Tokyo Dome in one day, just losing to the defending champs and pool hosts. Japan became the first team to win a semifinal spot, while Australia, Taiwan and South Korea all still had a shot at the other semifinal spot from the pool. Tomoyuki Sugano shut out Australia for the first four innings but was matched by Connor MacDonald (one hit in 3), Warwick Saupold and Blake Townsend. Japan had a good chance in the 3rd when Saupold walked 3B Kazuma Okamoto, allowed a hit to 2B Shugo Maki and walked C Kenya Wakatsuki to load the bases with two outs but C Robbie Perkins picked off Maki at second base.

In the 6th, CF Aaron Whitefield had a one-out double off Chihiro Sumida (one of his 3 hits today) and stole third, then sped home as Wakatsuki made a throwing error on the steal attempt. Coen Wynne and Jon Kennedy kept Japan off the board in the 6th despite two baserunners. Samurai Japan had not put a run on the board through six innings to that point, but they changed that in the 7th. DH Shohei Ohtani walked and Kennedy got two outs before LF Masataka Yoshida homered for a 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the 8th, Ky Hampton walked 1B Munetaka Murakami and Ukyo Shuto pinch-ran. Shuto stole second, took third on a Maki grounder and Genda walked. PH Teruaki Sato then doubled in Shuto. After Ohtani was intentionally walked, CF Seiya Suzuki drew a bases-loaded walk for a 4-1 edge before Cooper Morgan relieved and got a double-play grounder to end the frame. Japan would need those extra runs as closer Taisei Ota did not breeze through the 9th. DH Alex Hall hit a one-out homer and 1B Rixon Wingrove delivered a two-out blast to cut Japan's lead to 4-3. Ota did get Perkins on a grounder to send Japan to the next round, though.

at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Colombia	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	0	4	7	1
Cuba	4	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	x	7	8	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Denny Larrondo (1-0); Loss: Luis Patiño (0-1); Save: Raidel Martínez (2)
Home Runs
Cuba: Ariel Martínez, Erisbel Arruebarrena
Umpires
HP: Tripp Gibson (USA); 1B: Laz Diaz (USA); 2B: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan); 3B: Mario Villavicencio (Mexico)
Time of Game: 2:47 Attendance: 10,957

Colombia, which had struggled to score runs all tournament, got off to a good start by scoring the first run off Cuba's young starter, Denny Larrondo, without the benefit of a hit in the top of the 1st. However, for the second straight game, they were immediately undermined by a starting pitcher with major league experience. The previous day, it had been Julio Teherán pulling out after making a few warm-up tosses, and today it was Luis Patiño having a horrendous outing. He walked Roel Santos, hit Yoán Moncada with a pitch, then allowed a homer to Ariel Martínez to make it 3-1. After recording one out, he gave up another homer, this one a solo shot by Erisbel Arruebarrena, and was immediately removed by his manager, but the damage had been done. Colombia's relievers pitched well, however, and their hitters managed to cut a run from Cuba's lead with a second sacrifice fly in the 6th. And then disaster struck again for Colombia.

With two outs and pinch-runner Yoel Yanqui on second base in the bottom of the 6th, Colombia issued an intentional walk to Yoelkis Guibert in order to face Leonel Moas Jr. The strategy worked in that Moas hit a routine fly ball to center, but Tito Polo somehow managed to drop it and Yanqui scored. Moas then stole second base and Yiddi Cappe hit a ball to left field. Harold Ramírez first came forward, then realized the ball was over his head, turned around, and saw it land just over his glove and roll to the fence for a two-run triple. To make things even worse for Colombia, it was the second straight day that their center fielder had dropped a very catchable ball, resulting in a run, and that Ramirez had misjudged a fly ball to see it fall for an extra-base hit. And to add insult to injury, Colombia then put together a nice rally in the 7th against a wild Emmanuel Chapman, taking advantage of two walks, a hit batsman, a wild pitch and two singles to score three runs and load the bases. With the score now 7-4, Chapman gave way to Luis Romero, who got pinch-hitter Daniel Vellojin to hit a tapper back to him to end the inning. Without the errors, the game would have now been tied, but instead Cuba still had a comfortable lead. Colombia continued to push, twice sending RF Guibert to the wall to make catches, but Cuba's closer Raidel Martínez recorded his second save in as many games. The loss eliminated Colombia from further contention while Cuba improved to 2-0.

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Netherlands	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	1
Dominican Republic	2	0	2	0	6	0	2	12	8	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Luis Severino (1-0); Loss: Arij Fransen (0-1)
Home Runs
Netherlands: Didi Gregorius Dominican Republic: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Junior Caminero (2), Austin Wells, Juan Soto
Umpires
HP: Lance Barksdale (USA); 1B: Serge Makouchetchev (France); 2B: Paul Clemons (USA); 3B: Marek Vičar (Czech Republic)
Time of Game: 2:23 Attendance: 32,324

The Dominicans kept on rolling, as 2B Ketel Marte (3 BB, 3 R), 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (3 RBI) and DH Junior Caminero (3 RBI) paced a high-powered charge, all nine Dominican starters scoring runs. Luis Severino, Albert Abreu and Abner Uribe struck out 11 in the 7-inning mercy rule win. 3B Didi Gregorius's homer gave the Dutch team its only tally while Dylan Wilson and Kenley Jansen were their top hurlers today, each turning in a scoreless inning. The game ended when Juan Soto hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 7th, pushing the Dominicans' lead over ten runs.

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
United Kingdom	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	4	7	2
Italy	0	0	2	3	2	0	0	0	x	7	12	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Gabriele Quattrini (1-0); Loss: Nick Wells (0-1); Save: Greg Weissert (1)
Home Runs
Italy: Andrew Fischer, J.J. D'Orazio
Umpires
HP: David Arrieta (Venezuela); 1B: Alex Tosi (Canada); 2B: Adrian Johnson (USA); 3B: Zdeněk Židek (Czech Republic)
Time of Game: 3:06 Attendance: 35,141

Italy went to 2-0, dropping the Brits to 0-3. CF Nate Eaton again had a good game for Britain, opening with a double off Dylan DeLucia, then struggling 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled for his first hit of the tourney. With one out, Chisholm stole second, and with two away, DeLucia uncorked back-to-back wild pitches to fall behind 2-0. 3B Andrew Fischer got Italy on the board in the 3rd with a solo homer off Owen Wild and C J.J. D'Orazio, a late addition to the team, made it back-to-back bombs.

In the 4th, Italy went ahead for good. RF Zach Dezenzo doubled off Nick Wells and scored on a two-out hit by Fischer. After SS Ian Lewis Jr. made an error on a grounder by D'Orazio, SS Miles Mastrobuoni doubled to make it 4-2. LF Dante Nori singled in D'Orazio for a three-run cushion. They padded the lead in the 5th when Jack Seppings walked D'Orazio and 2B Sam Antonacci tripled him in, then came home when Chisholm made an error on the play. Gabriele Quattrini, Joe La Sorsa and Matt Festa combined for 3 1/3 shutout innings of relief. In the 8th, Eaton again was Britain's sparkplug, doubling off Kyle Nicolas and scoring on a Chisholm hit. Chisholm advanced on a grounder by C Harry Ford then wild pitches again cost Italy as both Nicolas and Ron Marinaccio each threw one, letting Chisholm score. Italy still would have to beat either Mexico or the USA to advance to the next round.

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Nicaragua	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Israel	0	1	0	0	4	0	0	0	x	5	8	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Dean Kremer (1-0); Loss: Carlos Rodríguez (0-1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Alejandro Pecero (Panama); 1B: Quinn Wolcott (USA); 2B: Shane Livensparger (USA); 3B: Trent Thomas (Australia)
Time of Game: 2:45 Attendance: 17,972

Israel got its first win of the year with a dominant pitching effort, starting with Dean Kremer, the first Israeli citizen picked in the MLB draft. He allowed two hits and one walk in 4 1/3 innings of shutout ball then his bullpen went the next 4 2/3 hitless with only one walk. The stellar relievers were Josh Mallitz, Matt Bowman, Max Lazar and Tommy Kahnle. Carlos Rodríguez was nearly as sharp as Kremer but ran into trouble in the 2nd. SS Cole Carrigg singled and stole second and third, then came home on a hit by 2B Noah Mendlinger. Nicaragua's best chance came in the 5th when they loaded the bases but Mallitz got SS Freddy Zamora Jr. to hit into a double play, 3B Jake Gelof to 1B Spencer Horwitz. In the 5th, Israel got some insurance when Mendlinger, Horwitz and CF Harrison Bader had hits off Dilmer Mejia to make it 2-0. After RF RJ Schreck walked, JC Ramírez relieved but LF Zach Levenson hit a two-run single and Carrigg singled in another. Mendlinger finished 3-for-3 with a walk, reaching as many times as the entire Nicaraguan outfit combined.

at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	0	0	4	11	1
Canada	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	3	9	3
Pitchers of Record
Win: Miguel Cienfuegos (1-0); Loss: James Paxton (0-1); Save: Dario Agrazal (1)
Home Runs
none
Umpires
HP: Nestor Ceja (Mexico); 1B: Vic Carapazza (USA); 2B: Domingo Paulino (Dominican Republic); 3B: Tomoya Ishiyama (Japan)
Time of Game: 3:08 Attendance: 15,649

The game's start was delayed by one hour by a rain shower and in the early going Canada seemed to have things well in hand as it took leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the early innings. This came thanks to a strong start by Jameson Taillon, back wearing Canadian colours for the first time since the 2013 World Baseball Classic, with help from Antoine Jean, a college star still waiting to make his professional debut. In the 6th, Canada sent veteran James Paxton, officially retired but still in good form, to the mound, but his efforts were completely undermined by his defense. After a walk and recording a first out, he got Christian Bethancourt to hit a grounder to third base. Abraham Toro made a perfect throw that should have retired him easily, but 1B Josh Naylor, normally sure-handed, literally dropped the ball and everyone was safe. Taillon then got Luis Castillo to pop up. The inning should normally have been over by this point, but Panama was just getting started. Miguel Amaya singled to 2B Édouard Julien, who made a diving stop to prevent a run, but the bases were loaded. Pinch-hitter Rubén Tejada then hit a ball up the middle. SS Otto Lopez had no play at first, but saw that Bethancourt was attempting to score a second run, and gunned the ball home. Bethancourt looked like he would be out easily, but Paxton cut off the throw, and then whirled around and lobbed the ball well over C Bo Naylor's head for a second error in the inning. Enrique Bradfield Jr. then bunted the ball over Paxton's head and by the time Julien could field it, a third run had crossed the plate, making it 4-2 for Panama. Even worse for Canada, they had wasted a great opportunity in the 5th, loading the bases with just one out, only to see Toro pop up and Bo Naylor line out against reliever Miguel Cienfuegos.

Cienfuegos' presence on the Panamanian team was a bit of a sore point for Canada as he had been born and had grown up in Laval, QC and found his first success with Les Capitales de Québec before being signed with the San Diego Padres and reaching AAA. Yet he had been ignored by Baseball Canada and as a result had been recruited by his parents' country, something that had drawn a lot of criticism in Canadian baseball circles before the tournament had even started. He ended up being the man of the match, as he then buzzed through the Canadian line-up over the next two innings. By the time he left the game, he had retired seven straight batters, including three on strikes. Canada managed to pull within one run in the 8th when Owen Caissie drove in Bo Naylor from first base with a two-out double, but Dario Agrazal shut them down in the 9th, putting a serious dent in Canada's hopes of making the second round of the tournament for the first time.

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H	E
Brazil	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Mexico	4	1	0	6	1	4	16	16	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Taijuan Walker (1-0); Loss: Eric Pardinho (0-1)
Home Runs
Mexico: Jarren Duran, Alejandro Kirk, Alek Thomas, Julian Ornelas
Umpires
HP: Scott Barry (USA); 1B: César Quintana (Austria); 2B: Brennan Miller (USA); 3B: Robert Nunez (Puerto Rico)
Time of Game: 2:24 Attendance: 36,380

Mexico absolutely was dominant in a six-inning mercy rule win over Brazil. C Alejandro Kirk drove in four, CF Alek Thomas was 3-for-3 with 3 RBI and RF Jarren Duran drove in 3; they all went deep, as did LF Julian Ornelas. 11 different players scored for Mexico. Meanwhile, Taijuan Walker did not yield a hit in 3 1/3 innings and Roel Ramírez and Alexander Armenta wrapped up the whitewash. All four Brazilian pitchers were hit hard, starting with 10 hits and 8 runs in 3 innings for Eric Pardinho and not improving from there.

March 9

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea	0	2	2	0	1	1	0	0	1	7	10	0
Australia	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	2	5	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Ju-young Son (1-0); Loss: Lachlan Wells (0-1)
Home Runs
South Korea: Bo-gyeong Moon (2) Australia: Robbie Glendinning
Umpires
HP: David Rackley (USA); 1B: Todd Tichenor (USA); 2B: Edwin Louisa (Netherlands); 3B: Edward Pinales (Dominican Republic)
Time of Game: 3:01 Attendance: 32,908

Australia could afford a loss today, but it had to be by four or fewer runs or they would lose the tiebreaker. Instead, South Korea got just as many runs as they needed to beat them out in the tiebreaker for the final spot from Pool A for the semifinals. 1B Bo-gyeong Moon was the offensive star, with a two-run homer off Lachlan Wells in the 2nd, and then driving in another two runs later in the ballgame. Australia almost pulled it off when it scored a run in the bottom of the 8th when Travis Bazzana drove in Robbie Perkins, who had walked to lead off the inning, with a single. Korea absolutely needed to score in the top of the 9th, or it would go home, and they did so without the benefit of a hit against Jack O'Loughlin: Do-yeong Kim received a lead-off walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Hae-min Park; after one out, Jung Hoo Lee hit a grounder to SS Jarryd Dale, but his throw to second was wild, and Park made it to third base, from where he scored on a sacrifice fly by Hyun-min Ahn. Australia still had a chance if it could score in the bottom half of the inning, but all they could manage against Byeong-hyeon Jo was a walk by Chris Burke.

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Dominican Republic	0	5	0	1	0	0	2	1	1	10	7	0
Israel	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Brayan Bello (1-0); Loss: Ryan Prager (0-1)
Home Runs
Dominican Republic: Fernando Tatis Jr., Oneil Cruz (2) Israel: Spencer Horwitz
Umpires
HP: Quinn Wolcott (USA); 1B: Gabe Morales (USA); 2B: Michael Ulloa (Spain); 3B: Serge Makouchetchev (France)
Time of Game: 2:47 Attendance: 28,728

Brayan Bello, Gregory Soto, Carlos Estévez, Wily Peralta and Seranthony Domínguez combined to strike out 13 while walking only one in a two-hit gem; 1B Spencer Horwitz's homer off Bello was the only run for Israel. Israeli starter Ryan Prager allowed one hit in his 1 2/3 IP but walked four, making the one hit a grand slam by RF Fernando Tatis Jr.; Tatis drove in six today. CF Oneil Cruz reached all four times, homering, and scoring three times. Daniel Federman was the only Israeli pitcher to have a good day with more than 1/3 IP, working two hitless, scoreless frames.

at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Colombia	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	4	4	1
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	3	7	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Austin Bergner (1-1); Loss: Jorge García (0-1); Save: Pedro García (1)
Home Runs
Panama: José Caballero
Umpires
HP: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan); 1B: Nestor Ceja (Mexico); 2B: Alex MacKay (USA); 3B: Mario Villavicencio (Mexico)
Time of Game: 3:15 Attendance: 9,790

Panama had a lot to play for in its final game, as a win meant it still had a chance to advance, while a loss not only erased that possibility, but would make it likely that they would finish last in the group and not be guaranteed a spot in the next edition of the WBC. Befitting the only two teams that had yet to hit a home run in the tournament, the game was dominated by pitching over the first five innings, with Dayan Frias of Colombia managing the only hit of the first five innings, a single. Both starters - Adrián Almeida for Colombia and Paolo Espino for Panama - went at least four innings without allowing a run. For Espino, who had pitched in the very first edition of the WBC in 2006, it was also his farewell game, as he had announced that he would retire after the game. Colombia scored all of its runs in the 6th after Jorge Garcia issued a lead-off walk to Miguel Amaya, followed by a single by Harold Ramírez. Miguel Gómez came in to pitch, but he walked Donovan Solano to load the bases with nobody out. On a sacrifice fly by Jordan Díaz, LF Lewis Castillo threw wildly to home and the two other runners also advanced 90 feet, then both scored on a single by Reynaldo Rodríguez. Another single by Daniel Vellojin scored Rodriguez with the 4th run of the inning. Colombia would not get another hit after that, but its hitters had done just enough.

Panama started clawing back the lead immediately when José Caballero hit a solo homer off Rio Gomez in the bottom of the inning, which was also his team's first hit of the game. Panama then loaded the bases in the 7th, but Ramírez, playing right field, made a tremendous sliding catch on a sinking line drive by Rubén Tejada in foul territory to end the threat. The catch was all the more amazing that Ramírez's defensive play had been awful in previous games. Panama did score a pair of runs in the 8th to move within one and threatened to do more damage, but Castillo grounded out with runners on second and third base to end the inning. In the 9th, Pedro García, who had got the last out in the 8th, returned to close out the Colombian win, allowing a single to Tejada but nothing else. Both teams finished 1-3 as a result.

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Brazil	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	1
United Kingdom	0	0	0	0	3	1	2	2	x	8	8	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Gary Gill Hill (1-1); Loss: Tiago Da Silva (0-1)
Home Runs
Great Britain: Ian Lewis Jr.
Umpires
HP: Brennan Miller (USA); 1B: Zdeněk Židek (Czech Republic); 2B: Scott Barry (USA); 3B: César Quintana (Austria)
Time of Game: 2:43 Attendance: 34,395

With a spot at the next Classic on the line, the two winless teams squared off. Both starters were excellent as Brazil's Enzo Sawayama and Britain's Brendan Beck both threw four shutout innings, Beck not allowing a hit. In the 5th, Gary Gill Hill plunked CF Gabriel Maciel and C Gabriel Do Carmo, the #9 hitter, doubled him in; it was Brazil's lone hit of the day off Beck, Gill Hill, Ryan Long, Najer Victor and Tristan Beck (Brendan's brother). Veteran Tiago Da Silva replaced Sawayama in the 5th and LF Ian Lewis Jr. greeted him rudely with a homer. Britain's bats boomed off the Brazilian bullpen with 8 runs in 4 innings. 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. drove in three while RF Trayce Thompson drew three walks.

at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	1
Puerto Rico	0	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	x	4	6	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Elmer Rodríguez (1-0); Loss: Julio Robaina (0-1); Save: Edwin Díaz (1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Vic Carapazza (USA); 1B: Domingo Paulino (Dominican Republic); 2B: Tripp Gibson (USA); 3B: Tomoya Ishiyama (Japan)
Time of Game: 2:53 Attendance: 19,189

The pool hosts punched their ticket to the second round with a strong pitching performance, in a game delayed over an hour due to rain. Elmer Rodríguez, Jovani Morán, Yacksel Ríos, Fernando Cruz and Edwin Díaz held Cuba to two hits, though they did walk six batters, fanning 10 in the process. They got all the support they needed in the 2nd. SS Darell Hernaiz singled off Julio Robaina, LF Eddie Rosario hit into a force and 1B Emmanuel Rivera singled. DH MJ Melendez walked to load the bases for #9 hitter Martín Maldonado. The light-hitting veteran backstop smacked a bases-clearing double to left for the game's big hit. Puerto Rico almost scored again, reloading the bases with one out but Miguel Romero struck out RF Nolan Arenado and got RF Carlos Cortes to end the inning. Puerto Rico got their only other run in the 5th when CF Heliot Ramos doubled off Josimar Cousín, advanced on a grounder and scored on a Cortes fly. Cuba got their only run in the 6th when Ríos hit 1B Ariel Martínez and 39-year-old DH Alfredo Despaigne doubled him in; as Maldonado was also 39, it was a big day for 39-year-olds to hit run-scoring doubles.

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	4	5	0
Nicaragua	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	3
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yoendrys Gómez (1-0); Loss: Danilo Bermúdez (0-1)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Ronald Acuña Jr.
Umpires
HP: Paul Clemons (USA); 1B: Alejandro Pecero (Panama); 2B: Lance Barksdale (USA); 3B: Trent Thomas (Australia)
Time of Game: 2:27 Attendance: 27,844

Nicaragua remained winless after two Classics but their last game this year was a surprisingly close affair against unbeaten Venezuela. Danilo Bermúdez, who had no minor league experience, began the day by walking RF Ronald Acuña Jr.. On a steal, a throwing error by C Ronald Rivera send Acuña to third. CF Jackson Chourio, who had missed the start of the tourney due to injury, hit a sacrifice fly. Acuña homered in the 3rd, the lone hit Bermúdez surrendered in a solid four innings. Nicaragua got three hits off Keider Montero in the 5th but CF Ismael Munguía was gunned down at the plate. Duque Hebbert took over for Nicaragua in the 5th. With one out, C William Contreras reached on an error, 2B Gleyber Torres walked and Acuña again played a big role, with a RBI single. 1B Luis Arráez doubled off Bryan Torres in the 6th and Nicaragua's defense again let them down with a Cheslor Cuthbert error. LF Wilyer Abreu's sacrifice fly brought in the last run of the day, two of the four runs having been unearned. Stiven Cruz and Carlos Téller blanked the South Americans over the final three innings. Nicaragua actually outhit Venezuela, 7-5, but they failed to score off Yoendrys Gómez, Montero, Ángel Zerpa, Carlos Guzmán, Christian Suárez, José Buttó and Andrés Machado.

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	3	7	1
United States	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	x	5	8	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Paul Skenes (1-0); Loss: Jesús Cruz (0-1); Save: Garrett Whitlock (1)
Home Runs
Mexico: Jarren Duran 2 (3) USA: Aaron Judge (2), Roman Anthony
Umpires
HP: Adrian Johnson (USA); 1B: Il-soo Chun (South Korea); 2B: Roberto Ortiz (Puerto Rico); 3B: David Arrieta (Venezuela)
Time of Game: 3:04 Attendance: 41,628

The US sent ace Paul Skenes to the hill and he was as dominant as expected, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out 7 in 4 innings. The US nearly got to Manny Barreda in the 1st; with two away, RF Aaron Judge singled and DH Kyle Schwarber and 3B Alex Bregman both walked but Barreda whiffed C Cal Raleigh. Jesús Cruz took over for Barreda in the 3rd and allowed a leadoff single to 1B Bryce Harper then Judge went deep for a 2-0 lead. Schwarber singled and Raleigh was plunked with one out. LF Roman Anthony then smacked a three-run dinger as Cruz had a day to forget. Luis Gastélum, Alex Carrillo, Samy Natera Jr., Daniel Duarte, Gerardo Reyes and Robert Garcia kept the US to two hits over the next 5 2/3 innings, holding them scoreless, to give their team a chance to rally. After Skenes left, Mexico got on the board in the 6th when RF Jarren Duran took Matthew Boyd deep. 1B Jonathan Aranda had a two-out single, C Alejandro Kirk singled and PH Joey Meneses singled in Aranda. In the 8th, Duran homered off Boyd again to end the scoring for the day. The game featured several big defensive plays by SS Bobby Witt Jr.

March 10

at Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Czech Republic	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	x	9	12	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yumeto Kanemaru (1-0); Loss: Michal Kovala (0-1)
Home Runs
Japan: Ukyo Shuto, Munetaka Murakami
Umpires
HP: Ryan Additon (USA); 1B: Jordan Baker (USA); 2B: Omar Peralta (Cuba); 3B: Rubén Ramos (Puerto Rico)
Time of Game: 2:36 Attendance: 42,340

Ondřej Satoria was already a cult favorite in Japan, where he regularly got hit up for autographs due to his 2023 WBC performance (highlighted by a strikeout of Shohei Ohtani). He got more attention in Japan than back in the Czech Republic and he only built his local legend today, holding the mighty Samurai Japan offense scoreless for 4 2/3 innings, scattering six hits and striking out three while walking no one. Michal Kovala started out just as sharp after taking over for Satoria, giving up one hit and no walks over his first 2 1/3 IP. He hit RF Teruaki Sato to open the 8th, then struck out 1B Munetaka Murakami. DH Kenya Wakatsuki doubled in Sato to finally end the scoreless drought. Kovala got 3B Kazuma Okamoto but that was his last out as he walked SS Kaito Kozono and CF Ukyo Shuto homered for a 4-0 lead. Jan Novák and Ryan Johnson then allowed five runs without retiring anyone, Murakami smacking a grand slam to cap the scoring, before Filip Čapka finally got the last out. Hiroto Takahashi, Hiroya Miyagi, Yumeto Kanemaru and Koki Kitayama struck out 14 while only giving up two hits, to 2B Terrin Vavra and CF Marek Chlup.

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Israel	0	1	0	0	0	5	0	0	0	6	8	0
Netherlands	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Josh Mallitz (1-0); Loss: Kevin Kelly (0-1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Shane Livensparger (USA); 1B: Quinn Wolcott (USA); 2B: Marek Vičar (Czech Republic); 3B: Michael Ulloa (Spain)
Time of Game: 2:57 Attendance: 13,565

In a game that was relatively meaningless (neither team advancing or being eliminated), this contest was more about pride than anything else. Israeli starter Carlos Lequerica struggled out of the gate, walking RF Druw Jones then giving up a single to CF Ceddanne Rafaela. SS Xander Bogaerts hit into a run-scoring fielder's choice then they pulled off a double steal before 3B Didi Gregorius hit a sac fly. The Israeli bullpen was superb today, though, as Harrison Cohen (5 K in 2 IP), Charlie Beilenson, Josh Mallitz, Matt Bowman, Zack Leban, Tommy Kahnle and Ben Simon kept the Netherlands to two hits and no runs over the final eight innings. The Netherlands turned to young Ryjeteri Merite and he turned in a shutout first but walked RF Noah Mendlinger with two outs in the second and 3B Jake Gelof doubled him in. Shairon Martis came in, 20 years after he threw the first WBC no-hitter, and he turned back the clock with 3 1/3 innings of scoreless ball, giving up only one hit this time around. Kevin Kelly replaced his fellow veteran in the 6th with his team still up 2-1. 2B Spencer Horwitz singled and PH Garrett Stubbs hit into an error by 1B Sharlon Schoop. CF RJ Schreck tied it with a single but Kelly retired LF Zach Levenson. After a wild pitch, SS Cole Carrigg grounded to first and Schoop avenged his earlier miscue by throwing out Stubbs at home. Mendlinger again walked and Gelof came up with a big two-run single for a 3-RBI day, putting his team ahead for good. Lars Huijer was summoned from the 'pen but 1B Matt Mervis greeted him with a two-run double to put Israel comfortably ahead. Huijer and Derek West allowed no more runs but the damage had been done with the big 6th.

at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Canada	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	5	0
Puerto Rico	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Jordan Balazovic (1-0); Loss: José De León (0-1); Save: Brock Dykxhoorn (1)
Home Runs
none
Umpires
HP: Alex MacKay (USA); 1B: Laz Diaz (USA); 2B: Mario Villavicencio (Mexico); 3B: Domingo Paulino (Dominican Republic)
Time of Game: 2:54 Attendance: 18,997

Rain was once again a factor at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, as the game between Canada and Puerto Rico saw its start delayed by 45 minutes, then was interrupted for another 25 minutes by a big rain shower, with smaller drizzles popping up at regular intervals at other times. Playing conditions were less than ideal, which limited the offensive output for both teams, but there was a large and enthusiastic crowd present to cheer on the local favorites; however, it was a low stakes game, as Puerto Rico was already certain of advancing, and Canada would have to defeat Cuba in its last game no matter the outcome of this one. Still, after a disappointing loss to Panama in its last game, the Canadians wanted to get back on course. They did not really get off to a good start, as Puerto Rican starter José De León, coming off an awful year in AAA (0-9, 6.93) mowed down the first eight Canadian hitters he faced in order, looking as dominant as he had in his 2023 WBC no-hitter. During that time, the locals had jumped ahead in the 1st as Jordan Balazovic walked the first two batters he faced, then allowed a single to Nolan Arenado; however, in what turned out to be a key play, Heliot Ramos was gunned down at third base on a strong throw by CF Denzel Clarke, and Balazovic retired the next two batters. De León suddenly lost his mojo after allowing a two-out single to Clarke in the 3rd. Édouard Julien followed with another single, and De León plunked Josh Naylor to load the bases. Puerto Rican manager Yadier Molina called on Rico Garcia to come in to pitch, but he walked both Tyler O'Neill and Tyler Black, with the two walks coming on full counts after good at-bats, and Canada was in front 2-1. They then added a more conventional run in the 4th against Raymond Burgos, on a double by Owen Caissie and a single by Abraham Toro.

That slight 3-1 lead was trimmed after Logan Allen replaced Balazovic in the 4th following the rain delay, as Arenado and Eddie Rosario greeted him with singles. Christian Vázquez put down a sacrifice bunt, and Arenado scored on a ground out by pinch-hitter Martín Maldonado. It looked like Canada's lead would evaporate in short order, but from that point forward, Canada's pitchers were dominant. Balazovic had only given up one hit in his three innings, and while Allen was more generous, with four, he did not walk anyone and also went three innings. He then gave way to Brock Dykxhoorn, a last-minute addition to the roster, and he was even better than his two predecessors, facing nine batters over the last three innings and retiring them all in order. All three pitchers were veterans of the Korea Baseball Organization, as was Matt Davidson who saw his first action of the tournament at first base, so the Korean connection was full on. However, the lack of hitting continued, as the Canadians wasted another golden opportunity in the 9th, loading the bases with one out on a double and two hit batsmen, only to see Julien and Naylor both fail to cash in an insurance run. Still, Canada managed to inflict a rare first round loss on Puerto Rico, which had the best record at that stage of any team in the history of the WBC.

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Italy	0	3	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	8	6	0
United States	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	1	1	6	11	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Michael Lorenzen (1-0); Loss: Nolan McLean (0-1); Save: Greg Weissert (2)
Home Runs
Italy: Kyle Teel, Sam Antonacci, Jac Caglianone USA: Gunnar Henderson, Pete Crow-Armstrong 2
Umpires
HP: Roberto Ortiz (Puerto Rico); 1B: Scott Barry (USA); 2B: Robert Nunez (Puerto Rico); 3B: César Quintana (Austria)
Time of Game: 3:08 Attendance: 38,653

In one of the biggest upsets yet in a World Baseball Classic, the Italian-Americans topped the star-studded main US team, 8-6. C Kyle Teel homered off Nolan McLean with two outs in the 2nd, then RF Jac Caglianone was plunked and SS Sam Antonacci went deep for a 3-0 lead. Michael Lorenzen, who had donned the Red, White and Blue for the 2010 World Junior Championship, was meanwhile blanking his countrymates for 4 2/3 innings. In the 4th, he got additional support when Ryan Yarbrough walked Teel and Caglianone homered to make it 5-0. Italy continued to put on the hurt in the 6th, with the same contributors again delivering. Teel doubled to chase Yarbrough and Brad Keller took over. He walked Caglianone then made an error on Antonacci's grounder to make it 6-0. LF Dante Nori's sac fly brought in Caglianone and a wild pitch scored Antonacci.

Down 8-0, the US staged a valiant comeback. After Lorenzen and Dan Altavilla had shut them down up to that point, 3B Gunnar Henderson homered off Altavilla in the 6th. 1B Paul Goldschmidt's two-out double in the 7th knocked out Joe La Sorsa in favor of Alek Jacob but Brice Turang hit a pinch-hit RBI double and CF Pete Crow-Armstrong homered to cut it to 8-4. Italy loaded the bases with one out in the 8th against David Bednar but Nori struck out and CF Jakob Marsee grounded out. Matt Festa got Henderson and RF Aaron Judge to begin the bottom of the 8th but DH Kyle Schwarber, C Will Smith and LF Roman Anthony hit 3 singles in a row to cut it to 8-5. Ron Marinaccio became the sixth Italian-American pitcher of the day and retired PH Bryce Harper to keep it a three-run game. In the 9th, Mason Miller went 1-2-3 for the US. In the bottom half, the favorites now had their backs to the wall. Marinaccio retired Turang then Crow-Armstrong homered to bring his team within two. Greg Weissert came in and yielded a single to SS Bobby Witt Jr. then promptly struck out potential tying runs Henderson and Judge (who finished 0-for-4) to end the upset. Italy had now practically locked up a spot in the next round, with the US needing Italy to beat Mexico or Mexico to win while allowing plenty of runs to advance, their fate no longer in their own hands.

March 11

at Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Canada	0	0	1	0	1	3	0	1	1	7	11	2
Cuba	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	2	5	3
Pitchers of Record
Win: Cal Quantrill (1-0); Loss: Livan Moinelo (1-1)
Home Runs
Canada: Abraham Toro
Umpires
HP: Tripp Gibson (USA); 1B: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan); 2B: Tomoya Ishiyama (Japan); 3B: Nestor Ceja (Mexico)
Time of Game: 3:09 Attendance: 10,610

The stakes were simple for the final game of Pool A between Canada and Cuba: the winner would move on to the next round, and the loser would go home. And of course, Cuba had always moved to the next round in every previous edition of the tournament, while Canada had never done so. But today, Cuba was the team that looked like it lacked experience at this level, as it played a truly awful fundamental game, committing all sorts of errors to make Canada's task that much easier. The biggest surprise of the round was how well Canada's pitchers had done so far, and that continued today, so even if Cuba had played a clean game, they could very well have lost anyway. Canada' starting pitcher, Cal Quantrill, had an excellent outing, giving up just one unearned run in five innings, and after Cuba scored a second run against youngster Indigo Diaz, veteran James Paxton came in throwing in the upper 90's, belying the fact he was officially retired, and basically struck out everyone in sight until he reached 49 pitches, at which point manager Ernie Whitt removed him to keep him available for Canada's next game, while Eric Cerantola ended the game with just one pitch.

In the 1st inning, Cuba gave an inkling of what was to come when it botched a rundown in which Canadian lead-off man Otto López had been caught between second and third base: 3B Yoán Moncada committed interference against him, and he was safe. Even though Canada did not score that inning, they took a lead in the 3rd on back-to-back singles by Tyler O'Neill and Abraham Toro, followed by a passed ball from C Andrys Pérez and a sacrifice fly by Owen Caissie. They then added an insurance run on a solo homer by Toro in the 5th, which turned out to be a good thing, as a walk to Yoel Yanqui followed by a wild pick-off attempt by Quantrill put a Cuban runner on third base with nobody out, and Cuba scored a first run on a ground out. That set the stage for a wild top of the 6th. Matt Davidson was the first batter, and he hit two catchable foul pop-ups, both of which fell to the ground, before 2B Yiddi Cappe dropped an equally catchable pop-up in fair territory that put him on first base. He went to third on a wild pitch that went off Pérez's glove and into the deepest reaches of foul territory behind home plate, then scored on a double by Bo Naylor. Denzel Clarke then struck out, but Pérez dropped the third strike, and used his mask to retrieve the ball - an absolute no-no that resulted in Clarke being awarded first base and Naylor moving to third. Clarke then stole second base unchallenged, and López hit a single through the left side of the infield scoring both runners to make it 5-1. Canada would again score on a misplay, when in the 8th Lopez drew a two-out walk and Josh Naylor hit a ball to shallow left field; LF Ariel Martínez attempted a sliding catch, but the ball bounced in and out of his glove and Lopez raced around the bases. In the 9th, Toro got a gift double when Martínez and SS Erisbel Arruebarrena became confused about which of them should catch a shallow pop-up and it landed untouched; he scored Canada's seventh run moments later on a single by Caissie. Meanwhile, Paxton was mowing down the Cubans as if they were little leaguers, and Canada ended up with an easy win that gave them first place in the pool - and the privilege of facing Team USA in the next round, it would turn out.

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Italy	0	1	0	1	3	1	1	2	0	9	10	0
Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	5	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Aaron Nola (1-0); Loss: Javier Assad (0-1)
Home Runs
Italy: Vinnie Pasquantino 3 (3), Jon Berti
Umpires
HP: Alex Tosi (Canada); 1B: Adrian Johnson (USA); 2B: David Arrieta (Venezuela); 3B: Il-soo Chun (South Korea)
Time of Game: 3:09 Attendance: 39,894

Everything was still up in the air when the final game of Pool B started, as undefeated Italy, 2-1 Mexico and 3-1 but idle Team USA all had a chance of either advancing or going home. Whichever team won this game would qualify for the next round, and an Italian win would eliminate Mexico outright, but a win by Mexico by a low score could result in both teams moving on and the U.S. being left holding the bag. The game was tight for the first three innings, with Mexican starter Javier Assad striking out the side in the 1st, but Vinnie Pasquantino, who had been hitless over Italy's first three games, broke the spell with a homer to lead off the top of the 2nd. It was a harbinger of things to come even if Assad settled down after that, with the two teams hitting into inning-ending double plays over four consecutive half innings. Assad began to really lose the plot in the 4th, when he allowed a second long ball, this one from an unlikely source, 2B Jon Berti, better known for his foot speed. Then in the 5th, Jac Caglianone led off with a walk and stole second, J.J. D'Orazio, playing catcher in place of the injured Kyle Teel, hit a single, and with Brennan Bernardino now in to pitch, Dante Nori laid down a perfect squeeze bunt on which Caglianone scored and everyone else was safe. Berti drew a two-out walk to load the bases and Jakob Marsee followed with a two-run single, making it 5-0.

Mexico would have needed an epic comeback at this point, but Aaron Nola completed a great start that made him look like the vintage version of himself with a fifth scoreless inning. And Italy kept on scoring, with Pasquantino homering twice more, in the 6th and 8th innings, to become the first player in tournament history with a three-homer game. Mexico only managed one run off reliever Gordon Graceffo in the 7th, and that was not nearly enough. Pasquantino came up again in the 9th with a chance at a fourth homer, but Andrés Muñoz would have none of it and walked him on four pitches. Italy won handily, 9-1 and finished atop the group while Mexico went home and the U.S. could breathe a sigh of relief.

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Dominican Republic	2	0	2	3	0	0	0	0	0	7	11	1
Venezuela	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	7	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Sandy Alcántara (1-0); Loss: Eduardo Rodríguez (0-1); Save: Elvis Alvarado (1)
Home Runs
Dominican Republic: Juan Soto (2), Ketel Marte, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2), Fernando Tatis Jr. (2)
Umpires
HP: Gabe Morales (USA); 1B: Lance Barksdale (USA); 2B: Serge Makouchetchev (France); 3B: Alejandro Pecero (Panama)
Time of Game: 3:03 Attendance: 36,230

Two of the four remaining unbeaten teams squared off, with the loser having to face defending champion Japan in the quarterfinals. The Dominicans set their homer-happy tone early as 2B Ketel Marte hit a one-out single off Eduardo Rodríguez in the 1st and LF Juan Soto hit the first of his team's four dingers today. 2022 NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcántara ran into his own difficulties in the bottom of the inning as 3B Maikel García singled, 2B Luis Arráez walked and 1B Willson Contreras singled to make it 2-1. Both hurlers faced the minimum in the 2nd. In the 3rd, Marte homered off Rodríguez and 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went deep off Eduard Bazardo for a 4-1 lead. Again, the Venezuelans came back as RF Ronald Acuña Jr. walked and stole second then scored on a hit by García. Arráez doubled to make it 4-3 but Alcántara then got Willson Contreras, DH Salvador Pérez and C William Contreras in order to strand the runner and maintain the one-run lead.

That one-run lead soon mushroomed. In the 4th, Antonio Senzatela got two outs then walked C Austin Wells and SS Geraldo Perdomo singled as the bottom of the order guys did their job. RF Fernando Tatis Jr. promptly smacked a three-run homer for a 7-3 cushion. Albert Pujols went to his bullpen and they then shut down Venezuela over the next five innings. Huascar Brazobán struck out the side and Juan Mejia, Seranthony Domínguez, Dennis Santana and Camilo Doval each turned in a scoreless frame. Venezuela's 4th through 8th pitchers today did better than their predecessors as they did not allow another Dominican run. The game thus still stood at 7-3 going into the bottom of the 9th. Abner Uribe walked CF Jackson Chourio to begin that inning and he also walked Acuña and García (who reached all five times up today). With the potential tying run at the plate, Pujols brought in Elvis Alvarado, his team's 9th hurler. Arráez hit a sacrifice fly and Alvarado made an error on a Willson Contreras grounder to cut the lead to 7-5, the potential go-ahead run now at the plate in the form of Pérez, owner of 303 MLB homers and five Silver Slugger Awards. Alvarado got two strikes, hitting over 99 mph with each pitch, then Pérez grounded to 3B Manny Machado, who went to Marte for one then Marte fired to Guerrero to finish the game-saving double play.

March 13

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	x	x	0	2	0
Dominican Republic	0	3	4	0	0	0	3	x	x	10	9	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Cristopher Sánchez (1-0); Loss: Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-1)
Home Runs
Dominican Republic: Austin Wells (2)
Umpires
HP: Dan Iassogna (USA); 1B: Chris Segal (USA); 2B: Tim Meyer (Germany); 3B: Maikol Tibabijo (Colombia)
Time of Game: 2:17 Attendance: 30,805

The South Koreans crossed the Pacific Ocean just for the privilege of being the latest team to be ground down by a superlative Dominican squad. The Latinos completely dominated this game, limiting the Koreans to just two hits, taking an almost insurmountable 7-0 lead after just three innings, and then ending it early with a mercy rule-triggering homer in the bottom of the 7th. It was the second time the Dominicans had ended a game in this fashion, having done so earlier in a Pool game against the Netherlands. On the mound, Cristopher Sánchez bounced back from a poor outing in his first start to give his team five outstanding innings, during which he allowed just two hits and a walk and struck out eight. In contrast, Hyun-Jin Ryu was hit hard, giving up three runs without completing two innings, while the first two men who relieved him, Kyung-eun Noh and Yeong-hyun Park, did no better, resulting in the early deficit.

After a scoreless 1st inning, the Dominicans went to work in the 2nd, scoring three runs off Ryu with a walk to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a double by Junior Caminero, a ground out, another walk, and a pair of singles by Geraldo Perdomo and Fernando Tatis Jr. In the 3rd, again there was no big blow: a single by Juan Soto followed by a Guerrero double, two more singles, and three walks, the last two of which each pushed a run across. At 7-0, there was almost no coming back for the Koreans, and indeed after Sánchez left, Albert Abreu tossed two innings in which he faced the minimum while racking up three more strikeouts. The Dominicans ended the game early with Hyeong-jun So now pitching for Korea in the 7th, as a single by Manny Machado and a walk to Oneil Cruz put two men on base with one out. So got Julio Rodríguez to hit into a force out at second, but Austin Wells followed with a three-run homer to right field. That gave the Dominicans a ten-run lead, and the game was immediately over. They punched their ticket to the 2028 Olympics.

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
United States	1	0	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	5	8	0
Canada	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	3	8	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Logan Webb (2-0); Loss: Michael Soroka (1-1); Save: Mason Miller (1)
Home Runs
Canada: Bo Naylor
Umpires
HP: Bill Miller (USA); 1B: Carlos Torres (Venezuela); 2B: Zdeněk Židek (Czechia); 3B: Jon Byrne (Australia)
Time of Game: 2:55 Attendance: 38,054

On paper, the second quarter-finals should have resulted in a blow-out win by the USA over Canada, such was the gap in talent, and with a 5-0 lead in the middle of the 6th, the Americans seemed to be on their way to such a result, but the Canadians showed a lot of resilience and made them sweat in the final innings, forcing them to use their best three relievers to nail down a 5-3 win. Logan Webb had a second great start in as many outings for the U.S., giving up just 4 hits and a walk in 4 2/3 innings, all the hits being singles, before turning the ball over to Brad Keller. In contrast, Michael Soroka had to work hard for Canada, as he had given up a first run only three batters into the game, on a lead-off walk to Bobby Witt Jr. after a nine-pitch battle, and a double by Aaron Judge into the left field corner. Surprisingly, that double would turn out to be the only extra-base hit by the Americans on the night. If the Canadians had played flawless defense, the final outcome could have been different, but, alas, it wasn't the case. In the 3rd, Pete Crow-Armstrong led off with an infield single off 1B Josh Naylor's glove, but was forced out by Bobby Witt Jr.. SS Otto López then made a heads-up play on a pop-up by Bryce Harper, letting it drop to the ground in front off him to throw out Witt at second, replacing a very fast runner by a much slower one. However, the Canadians could not record the third out. Judge drew a walk and Kyle Schwarber hit a soft single to third base to load the bases. Alex Bregman followed with another ball hit softly to third and Abraham Toro fielded it, but in trying to hurry his throw, he pulled Naylor off the bag and two runs scored for a 3-0 lead. The ball had not left the infield all inning.

Micah Ashman was the first reliever for Canada, coming in with two outs in the 3rd and he struck out Roman Anthony on three pitches. This was a sign of things to come: the Canadians brought out three pitchers who had yet to make their major league debut in this game - Ashman, Adam Macko and Matt Wilkinson - and they combined to pitch six innings, giving up no runs on three hits, all the while facing a line-up heavily laden with All-Stars. The only glitch was when Ernie Whitt called on Phillippe Aumont, now 38 and retired for a few years, to start the 6th. While he could probably have handled a lesser team, it did not work this time. Anthony took advantage of some confusion between Aumont, 1B Naylor and 2B Édouard Julien to record an infield single with one out, after which Aumont walked Cal Raleigh. Macko came in to pitch but he gave up a pair of singles, each scoring a run, before Witt grounded into a double play to end the inning. Those two runs would prove to be the difference in the game, although at that point, the 5-0 lead looked very safe for the U.S. In the bottom of the inning, however, Owen Caissie drew a one-out walk and went on second on a ground out by Toro. Tyler Black followed with a single for a first run, then after Gabe Speier had replaced Keller on the mound, Bo Naylor hit a no-doubt homer to right field to cut the lead to 5-3. If that wasn't enough, after a quick top of the 7th, with David Bednar now on the mound, Julien led off the bottom of the inning with an infield single, followed by another infield single by López. Raleigh then let a pitch from Bednar sail to the backstop and both runners advanced 90 feet on the passed ball. There was still no one out, but Bednar reached deep into his repertoire to force Josh Naylor to pop up to 3B Bregman with a full count, then struck out Tyler O'Neill and went into another protracted battle against Caissie. That one lasted nine pitches before Bednar struck out the rookie outfielder, escaping a situation where just one hit could have tied the game. Wilkinson pitched the final two innings for Canada, looking nothing at all like a pitcher whose highest level of competition before the tournament had been High-A, racking up strikeouts of Raleigh and Harper in the process. For his part, Mark DeRosa took no chances, sending in his two top relievers to close out the game in Garrett Whitlock and Mason Miller. Both of them retired the Canadians in order, nailing down a win that was much closer than had been anticipated.

March 14

at Daikin Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	6	7	0
Italy	4	0	0	4	0	3	0	0	x	8	8	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Sam Aldegheri (1-0); Loss: Seth Lugo (1-1); Save: Greg Weissert (3)
Home Runs
Puerto Rico: Willi Castro
Umpires
HP: Carlos Torres (Venezuela); 1B: Bill Miller (USA); 2B: Jon Byrne (Australia); 3B: Zdeněk Židek (Czechia)
Time of Game: 3:32 Attendance: 34,291

Italy earned its way into the semi-finals by following a familiar pattern against Puerto Rico: jumping out to a big lead, and then holding on as their opponents came back but fell short. It was Puerto Rico that scored first, however, as the first batter of the game, Willi Castro, homered off Sam Aldegheri, only the Puerto Ricans' second long ball of the tournament. However, the Italians came back with a four-spot, chasing Seth Lugo after just one out. Sam Antonacci led off by drawing a walk, and so did Jakob Marsee after one out. Vinnie Pasquantino, Dominic Canzone and Jac Caglianone all hit run-scoring singles to end Lugo's afternoon, then after Jovani Morán walked Andrew Fischer, J.J. D'Orazio hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1. Puerto Rico got a run back in the top of the 2nd when Aldegheri lost the plate with one out, with two walks and a hit batsman. He gave way to Alek Jacob who plunked Martín Maldonado to force in a run before recording the final two outs. The Italians then brought in Dylan DeLucia to start the 3rd, and he had a great outing, logging four scoreless innings.

The Italians had another four-run inning in the 4th and it all started innocently enough with a two-out walk to Pasquantino, followed by another walk to Canzone. Luis Quiñones came in to pitch, but he only made things worse by walking Caglianone as well. Fischer followed by hitting what looked like a grand slam, although after review, the umpires rules correctly that a fan in the first row in right field had reached over the fence to catch the ball. The hit was degraded to a two-run double, then D'Orazio hit an automatic double into the right field corner, making the score 8-2. That's how it remained until the 8th, when Puerto Rico finally stirred against Italy's vulnerable middle relief corps, after having wasted a great scoring opportunity the previous inning. Matt Festa gave up a single and two walks to load the bases with nobody out, then against Joe La Sorsa, a run scored on a force out. La Sorsa then hit Bryan Torres with a pitch to load the bases again and a wild pitch scored a run. Christian Vázquez then singled to drive in two more runs and bring the score to 8-6. All the emergency lights were now flashing for Italy, and manager Francisco Cervelli turned to his closer, Greg Weissert. Weissert got the final two outs in the 8th, and three more in the 9th, without allowing another run, earning his third save of the tournament in the process, to clinch Italy's place in the final four.

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	1	1	0	0	2	3	0	1	0	8	10	0
Japan	1	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	7	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Enmanuel De Jesus (1-0); Loss: Hiromi Itoh (0-1); Save: Daniel Palencia (1)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Ronald Acuña Jr. (2), Maikel García, Wilyer Abreu Japan: Shohei Ohtani (3), Shota Morishita
Umpires
HP: Chris Segal (USA); 1B: Dan Iassogna (USA); 2B: Maikol Tibabijo (Colombia); 3B: Tim Meyer (Germany)
Time of Game: 3:07 Attendance: 34,548

Venezuela pulled off a big upset in the last of the quarter-finals, defeating the defending champions, Japan, 8-5, after going down 5-2 after three innings. The game started with fireworks on both sides, as Ronald Acuña Jr. homered on Yoshinobu Yamamoto's second pitch of the evening, and Shohei Ohtani also went deep as Japan's first hitter against Ranger Suárez. Two batters later, Seiya Suzuki drew a walk, but in trying to steal second base with two outs, he slid awkwardly into the bag and not only was he thrown out by C Salvador Pérez, but he injured his knee and was out of the game. Venezuela then continued to do well against Yamamoto in the 2nd as Ezequiel Tovar and Gleyber Torres hit back-to-back doubles; it was the first time Yamamoto had surrendered three extra-base hits in the first two innings of a game since moving over to the U.S. two years earlier.

Venezuela's second lead was short-lived as well, as Japan did some serious damage against Suárez in the 3rd. Sosuke Genda drew a lead-off walk and Kenya Wakatsuki laid down a sacrifice bunt. With first base open, Venezuela opted to issue an intentional walk to Ohtani, but the next two batters made them pay, as Teruaki Sato drove in the tying run with a double, and Shota Morishita, who had come in the game for the injured Suzuki, followed with a homer to left for a 5-2 Japanese lead. Things looked gloomy for Venezuela, especially after Yamamoto retired them in order in the 4th, but that also marked the end of the game for the Japanese ace, and his successors on the mound were not up to the task. In the 5th, Chihiro Sumida walked lead-off man Jackson Chourio, then after retiring Acuña on strikes, coughed up a gopher ball to Maikel García to bring Venezuela back within one run. In the 6th, Hiromi Itoh took over on the mound as Japan's fourth pitcher (Shoma Fujihira had recorded the final out in the 5th), and he struggled too. Tovar and Torres led off with back-to-back singles this time, and Wilyer Abreu followed with a three-run homer that put the South Americans in the lead, 7-5. For its part, Japan did not have an answer as a series of unheralded relievers, starting with Enmanuel De Jesús and including José Buttó, Ángel Zerpa, Andrés Machado and Daniel Palencia, held them scoreless through the final six innings. Worse, Venezuela scored an insurance run in the 8th thanks to another lead-off double by Tovar, after which he stole third base and scored when P Atsuki Taneichi's attempt to throw him out sailed into the outfield. Now trailing 8-5, Japan put two men on base against Machado, a veteran of Nippon Pro Baseball, with two outs in the 8th, but Shugo Maki was unable to cash them in, hitting a grounder to short to end the inning. Palencia then retired them in order in the 9th to send Venezuela on its way to the semi-finals and a spot in the 2028 Olympics. It would be Venezuela's first appearance in the Olympics in baseball.

March 15

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
United States	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	7	0
Dominican Republic	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	8	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Paul Skenes (2-0); Loss: Gregory Soto (0-1); Save: Mason Miller (2)
Home Runs
Dominican Republic: Junior Caminero (3) United States: Gunnar Henderson (2), Roman Anthony (2)
Umpires
HP: Cory Blaser (USA); 1B: Jeremie Rehak (USA); 2B: Dan Bellino (USA); 3B: Delfin Colon (Puerto Rico); LF: Cuti Suárez (Spain); RF: Chris Graham (Canada)
Time of Game: 2:55 Attendance: 36,337

The first of the semi-finals felt like a quasi-final, given the strength of the two rosters in play, yet this turned out to be a low-scoring game. There were plenty of home runs, with the Dominican Republic setting a record for most by one team in a single tournament, but all three were solo shots, and no other runs were scored, resulting in a 2-1 victory for the United States and a second consecutive trip to the finals as a result. On paper, if the two starting line-ups were equally impressive, there was a mismatch when it came to starting pitching, as anyone would have picked U.S. starter Paul Skenes over the Dominicans' Luis Severino if given a choice. Both ended up giving up exactly one run however, but Skenes lasted longer and was the winner as a result. Skenes faced a lineup whose MLB contracts totalled over $2 billion.

The Dominicans opened the scoring in the bottom of the 2nd on a solo homer by Junior Caminero, his third, and a record-setting 15th for his country in the tournament. The U.S. had a chance to get that run back immediately as Bobby Witt Jr. singled with one out in the 3rd and Bryce Harper followed with a double, but even with first base open, Severino elected to pitch to Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber - and struck out both of them! In the 3rd, Fernando Tatis Jr. was thrown out at third base by Judge in a crucial play to end the inning, then in the 4th the U.S. struck, with a lead-off homer by Gunnar Henderson, then after Gregory Soto had replaced Severino with one out, another homer by Roman Anthony. Surprisingly, those would be the last runs of the game; both decisions went to members of the 2026 Pirates in Skenes and Soto. The Dominicans threatened again in the bottom of the 4th, when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a double but had to hold his base when Manny Machado followed with a single to shortstop. After a force out, Skenes hit Julio Rodríguez with a pitch to load the bases, but Austin Wells flied out to left field. They had another opportunity in the 5th when Tatis and Ketel Marte hit back-to-back singles, marking the end of Skenes' turn on the mound. In came Tyler Rogers, added to the U.S. roster for the second round of games, and it took just two pitches for the submariner to induce Juan Soto to ground into a double play.

The two bullpens took over at that point and there were few other scoring opportunities: Huascar Brazobán struck out the side in the top of the 6th and Griffin Jax retired the Dominicans in order in the bottom of that inning. U.S. skipper Mark DeRosa then reproduced identically the pitching strategy that had worked against Canada in the quarter-finals, sending in David Bednar, Garrett Whitlock and Mason Miller each for an inning to nail down the win. And like he had done against Canada, Bednar allowed a pair of hits, with runners ending up on second and third base, but he recovered to strike out both Tatis and Marte to end the threat. It was smoother sailing for Whitlock and Miller, as between them they allowed just one walk over the final two innings. That free pass, issued by Miller to Rodríguez with one out in the 9th, was followed by a wild pitch. Miller got pinch-hitter Oneil Cruz to ground out to short, but that brought the tying run within 90 feet. It was up to Geraldo Perdomo to cash in that run, but he struck out, ending the game. That out was controversial, as Miller's final pitch, on a full count, seemed well outside the strike zone, but umpire Cory Blaser called it a strike anyway.

March 16

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	1	0	0	3	0	0	4	8	0
Italy	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Ángel Zerpa (1-0); Loss: Michael Lorenzen (1-1); Save: Daniel Palencia (2)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Eugenio Suárez (2)
Umpires
HP: Jeremie Rehak (USA); 1B: Dan Bellino (USA); 2B: Cory Blaser (USA); 3B: Cuti Suárez (Spain); LF: Chris Graham (Canada); RF: Delfin Colon (Puerto Rico)
Time of Game: 2:42 Attendance: 35,382

Venezuela ended Italy's magical run in the tournament with a 4-2 win in the second semi-finals, thanks to one big inning in the 7th. There was some question before the game about who would start for Italy, but manager Francisco Cervelli explained that he went with a hunch in selecting Aaron Nola over Michael Lorenzen, and it turned out to be a good choice as Nola gave him four innings of one-run ball - before Lorenzen took over. For Venezuela, Keider Montero had a short outing, only going 1 1/3 inning before losing his control in the 2nd inning. In that frame, he gave up a one-out single to Zach Dezenzo and then walked Jac Caglianone, Andrew Fischer and J.J. D'Orazio to force in a first run. He gave way to Ricardo Sánchez at that point, who got Dante Nori on a force out, but that drove in a second run. With two high-scoring teams playing, that 2-0 lead was unlikely to be enough, although everyone was aware that the other semi-final, also featuring two high-octane offenses, had finished with a 2-1 score.

Venezuela got its first run in the 4th when Eugenio Suárez went deep against Nola. And then there was no more scoring until the 7th as a succession of Venezuelan relievers kept the Italians' bats in check, while Lorenzen tossed two scoreless innings after replacing Nola. Venezuela finally broke through in the 7th, when they scored three runs after two outs. It started with a lead-off walk to Gleyber Torres, who gave way to pinch-runner Andrés Giménez. Lorenzen then struck out Wilyer Abreu and William Contreras, but Jackson Chourio singled to center, moving Giménez to third base and bringing up the top of the order. Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a ball deep in the hole at shortstop which Sam Antonacci fielded, but he was unable to throw out the speedy Acuña. Giménez scored the tying run and Chourio made it to second from where he scored the go-ahead run on a single to left by Maikel García. Acuña boldly took third on the play, sliding into the bag ahead of Nori's throw, and he scored easily when Luis Arráez made it four straight singles. It was now 4-2, Lorenzen gave way to Kyle Nicolas, and Venezuela only had to preserve that two-run lead for the next three innings. The three pitchers selected for that task were Eduard Bazardo, Andrés Machado and Daniel Palencia, and they each pitched a perfect inning, preventing Italy from even getting the tying run to the plate. For Venezuela, it would be a first time appearing in the finals - as it would also have been for Italy had it won. Italy still had not only made the final four for the first time and been the last team to lose, but had nearly as many wins (5) as they had in the prior 5 Classics (6).

March 17

at loanDepot Park
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	3	6	0
United States	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	3	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Andrés Machado (1-0); Loss: Garrett Whitlock (0-1); Save: Daniel Palencia (3)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Wilyer Abreu (2) United States: Bryce Harper
Umpires
HP: Dan Bellino (USA); 1B: Cory Blaser (USA); 2B: Jeremie Rehak (USA); 3B: Chris Graham (Canada); LF: Delfin Colon (Puerto Rico); RF: Cuti Suárez (Spain)
Time of Game: 2:34 Attendance: 36,190

The final game of the tournament was another thriller played before a packed house at loanDepot Park at Miami, FL, and in the end Venezuela upset the United States with a 3-2 win achieved through a great collective pitching performance in which the U.S.'s star-packed line-up was limited to just three hits. Still, Venezuela did not ensure the win until scoring a 9th-inning run, after the U.S. had managed to come back from two runs down in the 8th. Venezuela's performance started with a strong outing by veteran Eduardo Rodríguez, who ironically had been charged with his country's only loss in the tournament, against the Dominican Republic in the final pool game. Rodriguez went 4 1/3 innings and gave up just one hit while striking out four, setting the tone for his countrymen. For the U.S., young Nolan McLean got the ball for the second time - and he too had been the losing pitcher in his team's only defeat, its upset loss to Italy in pool play. He was not as good as Rodriguez as he allowed the Venezuelans to take an early lead, forcing the U.S. to play catch-up for the rest of the game. A big issue for the US was Tarik Skubal's bailing on the team after one game, leaving them with not as strong a #2 option behind ace Paul Skenes, who had been used in the semifinal.

Venezuela opened the scoring in the 2nd on a single by team captain Salvador Pérez, followed after one out by a walk to Ronald Acuña Jr., McLean then threw a wild pitch, advancing both runners 90 feet, and it turned out to be costly as Maikel García, on his way to being named the tournament MVP, hit a fly ball to CF Byron Buxton on which the slow-footed Pérez was able to score. The Venezuelans then doubled their lead in the 4th on Wilyer Abreu's second homer of the tournament, a shot to straight center field. Things then went quiet after that as the U.S. could not muster much of anything against relievers Eduard Bazardo, José Buttó and Ángel Zerpa, never getting a runner past first base. Meanwhile, the American relievers were also doing a good job and it was still 2-0 heading into the 8th, when Griffin Jax retired Venezuela in order. Andrés Machado also got two quick outs in the bottom of the frame, before walking Bobby Witt Jr. on four pitches. Bryce Harper then put everyone back on an even footing by blasting a ball to center field for a two-run homer. It was only the third hit of the game for the U.S., but it could not have come at a more opportune time. However, the game did not stay tied long. Machado recovered his poise to strike out Aaron Judge (who finished 0-for-4 with 3 K today) to end the inning, and in the top of the 9th, facing Garrett Whitlock, Luis Arráez did something rather unusual for him, given that he is the best in baseball at putting the ball in play: he drew a walk. He immediately gave way to pinch-runner Javier Sanoja while Eugenio Suárez stepped up to the plate. Sanoja stole second base while Suárez worked a full count before lining a double into center field. Sanoja scored the go-ahead run as Suárez pointed to the sky at second base, knowing he had just knocked in the biggest run of his career. Whitlock and Taylor Rogers retired the Venezuelans without further damage to end the inning. Daniel Palencia who had surprisingly emerged as a shut-down closer during the tournament, with four hitless and scoreless innings and two saves to his credit so far, again looked like a doppelgänger of Mariano Rivera. He got Kyle Schwarber to strike out swinging, then two pitches later, Gunnar Henderson popped out to third base. Roman Anthony, who had had an excellent tournament, was the U.S.'s last hope, but he also went down swinging, and the game was over. For the first time, Venezuela was the WBC champion. Their last world title in baseball had been back in the 1945 Amateur World Series, against a much weaker field, and their last Gold Medal in any senior-level baseball tourney had been in the 1959 Pan American Games.

Awards

• Tournament MVP: Maikel García, Venezuela 3B

All-Tournament Team

• P Paul Skenes, USA (2-0, 1.08)
• P Logan Webb, USA (2-0, 1.04)
• P Aaron Nola, Italy (1-0, 1.00)
• C Austin Wells, Dominican Republic (.263/.353/.733)
• 1B Luis Arráez, Venezuela (.308/.367/.692, 10 RBI)
• 2B Brice Turang, USA (.364/.391/.545)
• 3B Maikel García, Venezuela (.385/.393/.577)
• SS Ezequiel Tovar, Venezuela (.471/.500/.647)
• OF Roman Anthony, USA (.280/.400/.520, 7 RBI)
• OF Fernando Tatis Jr., Dominican Republic (.400/.538/.700, 11 RBI)
• OF Dante Nori, Italy (.400/.435/.750)
• DH Shohei Ohtani, Japan (.462/.611/1.231, 3 HR, 7 RBI in 4 G)

Statistics

Batting Leaders

A minimum 2.7 plate appearances/game needed to qualify for rate stats

At Bats

• Bryce Harper, USA - 28
• Aaron Judge, USA - 27
• Ronald Acuña Jr., VEN - 26
• Luis Arráez, VEN - 26
• Maikel García, VEN - 26

Hits

• Maikel García, VEN - 10
• Luis Arráez, VEN - 8
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr., DOM - 8
• Dante Nori, ITA - 8
• Kyle Schwarber, USA - 8
• Fernando Tatis Jr., DOM - 8
• Abraham Toro, CAN - 8
• Ezequiel Tovar, VEN - 8
• Brice Turang, USA - 8

Runs

• Ronald Acuña Jr., VEN - 10
• Luis Arráez, VEN - 6
• Jac Caglianone, ITA - 6
• Manny Machado, DOM - 6
• Ketel Marte, DOM - 6
• Shohei Ohtani, JPN - 6
• Vinnie Pasquantino, ITA - 6
• Kyle Schwarber, USA - 6
• Fernando Tatis Jr., DOM - 6

Doubles

• Luis Arráez, VEN - 4
• Brice Turang, USA - 4
• Owen Caissie, CAN - 3
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr., DOM - 3
• Teruaki Sato, JPN - 3
• Abraham Toro, CAN - 3
• Ezequiel Tovar, VEN - 3

Triples

• Sam Antonacci, ITA - 1
• Yiddi Cappe, CUB - 1
• Jarryd Dale, AUS - 1
• Erik González, DOM - 1
• Garrett Stubbs, ISR - 1
• Abraham Toro, CAN - 1

Home Runs

• Junior Caminero, DOM - 3
• Jarren Duran, MEX - 3
• Shohei Ohtani, JPN - 3
• Vinnie Pasquantino, ITA - 3
• 21 tied with 2

Runs Batted In

• Bo-gyeong Moon, KOR - 11
• Fernando Tatis Jr., DOM - 11
• Luis Arráez, VEN - 10
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr., DOM - 8
• Wilyer Abreu, VEN - 7
• Roman Anthony, USA - 7
• Junior Caminero, DOM - 7
• Maikel García, VEN - 7
• Shohei Ohtani, JPN - 7

Total Bases

• Luis Arráez, VEN - 18
• Junior Caminero, DOM - 17
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr., DOM - 17
• Shohei Ohtani, JPN - 16
• Abraham Toro, CAN - 16

Strikeouts

• Bryce Harper, USA - 8
• Édouard Julien, CAN - 8
• Ju-won Kim, KOR - 8
• Victor Mascai, BRA - 8
• Dong-won Park, KOR - 8

Stolen Bases

• Tsung-Che Cheng, TPE - 4
• Stuart Fairchild, TPE - 3
• Maikel García, VEN - 3
• Geraldo Perdomo, DOM - 3
• Ukyo Shuto, JPN - 3
• Bobby Witt Jr., USA - 3

Batting Average

• Sosuke Genda, JPN - .500
• Ezequiel Tovar, VEN - .471
• Ariel Martínez, CUB - .462
• Shohei Ohtani, JPN - .462
• Noah Mendlinger, ISR - .455

On-Base Percentage

• Sosuke Genda, JPN - .667
• Shohei Ohtani, JPN - .600
• Seiya Suzuki, JPN - .600
• Gio Urshela, COL - .583
• Tsung-Che Cheng, TPE - .571
• Noah Mendlinger, ISR - .571

Slugging Percentage

• Shohei Ohtani, JPN - 1.231
• Jarren Duran, MEX - 1.000
• Seiya Suzuki, JPN - 1.000
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr., DOM - .944
• Bo-gyeong Moon, KOR - .938

On-base plus Slugging

• Shohei Ohtani, JPN - 1842
• Seiya Suzuki, JPN - 1500
• Bo-gyeong Moon, KOR - 1464
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr., DOM - 1420
• Jarren Duran, MEX - 1412

Pitching Leaders

A minimum 0.8 innings pitched/game needed to qualify for rate stats

Wins

• Enmanuel De Jesús, VEN - 2
• Paul Skenes, USA - 2
• Logan Webb, USA - 2

Losses

• 47 tied with 1

Saves

• Daniel Palencia, VEN - 3
• Greg Weissert, ITA - 3
• Raidel Martínez, CUB - 2
• Mason Miller, USA - 2
• Taisei Ota, JPN - 2

Games

• Andrés Machado, VEN - 6
• Ángel Zerpa, VEN - 6
• Eduard Bazardo, VEN - 5
• José Buttó, VEN - 5
• Daniel Palencia, VEN - 5

Games Started

• 16 tied with 2

Innings Pitched

• Aaron Nola, ITA - 9
• Logan Webb, USA - 8 2/3
• Ondřej Satoria, CZE - 8 1/3
• Paul Skenes, USA - 8 1/3
• Javier Assad, MEX - 8
• Enzo Sawayama, BRA - 8

Hits Allowed

• Eric Pardinho, BRA - 10
• Aaron Nola, ITA - 8
• Luis Severino, DOM - 8
• Michael Soroka, CAN - 8
• Cristopher Sánchez, DOM - 8

Runs Allowed

• Jan Novák, CZE - 9
• Hao-Chun Cheng, TPE - 8
• Eric Pardinho, BRA - 8
• Kevin Kelly, NLD - 6
• Michal Kovala, CZE - 6
• Ranger Suárez, VEN - 6

Earned Runs Allowed

• Jan Novák, CZE - 9
• Hao-Chun Cheng, TPE - 8
• Eric Pardinho, BRA - 8
• Michal Kovala, CZE - 6
• Ranger Suárez, VEN - 6

Home Runs Allowed

• Young-pyo Ko, KOR - 3
• Nolan McLean, USA - 3
• 17 tied with 2

Walks

• Joseph Contreras, BRA - 6
• Joao Marostica, BRA - 6
• Tanner Jacobson, ISR - 5
• Liván Moinelo, CUB - 5
• 15 tied with 4

Strikeouts

• Cristopher Sánchez, DOM - 12
• Enmanuel De Jesús, VEN - 11
• Luis Severino, DOM - 11
• Logan Webb, USA - 11
• Andrés Machado, VEN - 10
• Mason Miller, USA - 10
• Yariel Rodríguez, CUB - 10

Earned Run Average

• Ondřej Satoria, CZE - 0.00 (8 1/3 IP)
• Enzo Sawayama, BRA - 0.00 (8 IP)
• Liván Moinelo, CUB - 0.00 (7 1/3 IP)
• Jack O'Loughlin, AUS - 0.00 (6 1/3 IP)
• Ariel Jurado, PAN - 0.00 (5 IP)

Walks plus Hits per Innings Pitched

• Danilo Bermúdez, NIC - 0.38 (5 1/3 IP)
• Paolo Espino, PAN - 0.46 (4 1/3 IP)
• Brendan Beck, GBR - 0.50 (4 IP)
• Jo-Hsi Hsu, TPE - 0.50 (4 IP)
• Enmanuel De Jesús, VEN - 0.55 (7 1/3 IP)

Team Batting

Ordered by OPS

Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Dominican Republic	6	190	52	57	9	1	15	51	113	40	37	4	4	.300	.430	.595	1025
Japan	5	155	39	44	8	0	10	38	82	33	31	4	3	.284	.416	.529	.945
Italy	6	198	42	53	11	1	12	38	102	34	53	9	0	.268	.385	.515	.900
Mexico	4	127	28	34	6	0	8	27	64	17	33	4	1	.268	.380	.504	.884
United States	7	236	44	59	12	0	10	40	101	41	58	6	0	.250	.368	.428	.796
Venezuela	7	234	41	61	12	0	10	39	103	27	48	9	2	.261	.335	.440	.775
Australia	4	126	13	29	3	1	7	12	55	12	30	2	1	.230	.307	.437	.744
South Korea	5	158	28	35	10	0	7	27	66	17	47	4	2	.222	.307	.418	.725
Canada	5	170	24	41	8	1	3	24	60	20	44	4	1	.241	.335	.353	.688
United Kingdom	4	127	15	26	4	0	3	12	39	19	44	7	2	.205	.308	.307	.615
Chinese Taipei	4	118	19	22	2	0	4	18	36	17	31	10	0	.186	.307	.305	.612
Cuba	4	119	13	20	5	1	4	11	39	15	41	1	1	.168	.277	.328	.605
Puerto Rico	5	158	21	33	5	0	2	18	44	21	38	2	1	.209	.316	.278	.594
Israel	4	127	15	25	4	1	3	15	40	9	34	2	0	.197	.261	.315	.576
Panama	4	136	11	29	5	0	1	11	37	9	38	6	1	.213	.291	.272	.563
Netherlands	4	119	99	22	2	0	2	9	30	16	34	2	0	.185	.303	.252	.555
Nicaragua	4	131	6	27	3	0	1	5	33	10	31	0	1	.206	.293	.252	.544
Colombia	4	121	10	23	3	0	0	10	26	22	35	2	3	.190	.327	.215	.542
Czech Republic	4	114	5	10	3	0	1	5	25	8	41	2	0	.167	.230	.219	.449
Brazil	4	108	6	14	1	0	3	6	24	10	50	0	1	.130	.217	.222	.439

Team Pitching

Ordered by ERA

Team	W	L	ERA	G	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	HBP	BB	SO	WHIP	Opp. AVG
Dominican Republic	5	1	1.98	6	1	1	50	32	12	11	4	2	14	63	0.92	.180
Canada	3	2	2.00	5	0	1	45	35	15	10	0	2	18	46	1.18	.217
Puerto Rico	3	2	2.60	5	1	1	45	27	15	13	0	8	25	53	1.16	.174
Cuba	2	2	2.83	4	0	2	35	29	16	11	1	2	23	36	1.49	.228
Australia	2	2	2.83	4	1	1	35	22	12	11	1	1	21	24	1.23	.180
Venezuela	6	1	2.86	7	1	3	63	44	21	20	9	4	21	67	1.04	.195
United States	5	2	3.00	7	0	3	63	44	24	21	12	5	12	83	0.89	.194
Panama	1	3	3.19	4	0	1	36 2/3	28	14	13	3	4	11	32	1.07	.215
Japan	4	1	3.35	5	2	2	43	30	17	16	6	2	10	60	0.93	.191
Italy	5	1	3.50	6	1	3	54	42	21	21	5	6	23	62	1.20	.213
Mexico	2	2	4.22	4	1	0	32	29	16	15	7	2	20	34	1.53	.242
Colombia	1	3	4.50	4	0	1	34	28	23	17	4	5	16	29	1.29	.224
United Kingdom	1	3	5.29	4	0	0	34	31	25	20	5	4	20	31	1.50	.242
Chinese Taipei	2	2	5.63	4	1	1	32	28	20	20	4	4	16	26	1.38	.235
South Korea	2	3	5.91	5	0	0	42 2/3	37	29	28	10	2	22	41	1.38	.242
Israel	2	2	5.91	4	1	0	35	26	23	23	5	2	26	27	1.49	.210
Netherlands	1	3	6.05	4	0	0	32 2/3	36	27	22	6	6	22	23	1.78	.281
Nicaragua	0	4	6.15	4	0	0	33 2/3	37	25	23	5	5	18	21	1.63	.285
Czech Republic	0	4	10.69	4	0	0	32	42	39	38	9	4	21	23	1.97	.318
Brazil	0	4	13.50	4	0	0	30 2/3	46	47	46	9	3	38	17	2.74	.346

Final Standings

1.  Venezuela
2.  United States
3.  Dominican Republic
4.  Italy
5.  Japan
6.  Canada
7.  Puerto Rico
8.  South Korea
9.  Australia
10.  Cuba
11.  Mexico
12.  Israel
13.  Chinese Taipei
14.  Colombia
15.  United Kingdom
16.  Netherlands
17.  Panama
18.  Czech Republic
19.  Nicaragua
20.  Brazil

Further Reading

• "The defining storylines of the '26 Classic", mlb.com, March 18, 2026. [1]
• Anthony Castrovince: "Spirited Venezuela rallies in 9th to upend USA for 1st Classic championship", mlb.com, March 18, 2026. [2]
• Michael Clair: "World Baseball Classic 2026 pools, dates announced", mlb.com, August 21, 2024. [3]
• Michael Clair: "World Baseball Classic 2026 pools finalized", mlb.com, April 9, 2025. [4]
• Michael Clair: "All you need to know about World Baseball Classic 2026", mlb.com, February 4, 2026. [5]
• Michael Clair: "Reigning MVPs, Cy Youngs among 78 All-Stars on Classic rosters", mlb.com, February 5, 2026. [6]
• Michael Clair: "The defining storylines of the '26 Classic", mlb.com, March 18, 2026. [7]
• Alexandre Pratt: "« Personne ne croyait au Venezuela »", La Presse, March 18, 2026. [8]