Team USA Advances to World Baseball Classic Final After Tense Semifinal Win Over Dominican Republic
Team USA is moving on to the championship game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The Americans secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Dominican Republic on Sunday night in Miami, fueled by clutch home runs from Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony, and a strong pitching performance.
Key Moments and Performances
The Dominican Republic struck first in the second inning with a solo home run from Junior Caminero, his third of the tournament. But, Team USA responded in the fourth inning with back-to-back solo shots from Henderson and Anthony, taking a 2-1 lead.
Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, delivered a solid 4⅓ innings, allowing just one run despite facing a powerful Dominican lineup. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth and exited the game with two runners on in the fifth. The U.S. Bullpen then held the Dominican Republic scoreless for the remaining 4⅔ innings.
Controversial Finish
The game concluded with a controversial call in the bottom of the ninth inning. With two outs and the tying run on third, U.S. Closer Mason Miller threw a fastball that was called strike three, despite appearing to be outside the strike zone. The call was disputed by both the Dominican Republic dugout and the Fox broadcast crew, including David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez.
Road to the Championship
Team USA’s path to the final wasn’t straightforward. They finished second in Pool B with a 3-1 record, defeating Brazil, Great Britain, and Mexico before a surprising loss to Italy. Italy’s subsequent win over Mexico secured Team USA’s spot in the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinals, Team USA defeated Canada 5-3. Italy continued its impressive run by defeating Puerto Rico 8-6, while Venezuela upset the defending champions, Japan, with an 8-5 victory.
Upcoming Championship Game
Team USA will face either Italy or Venezuela in the championship game on Tuesday night. Italy and Venezuela will play their semifinal matchup on Monday evening.
Tournament Odds
Entering the semifinals, FanDuel had Team USA as the favorite to win the WBC with +140 odds, followed by the Dominican Republic (+160), Venezuela (+360), and Italy (+750).
2026 World Baseball Classic Bracket
Here’s a look at the tournament bracket:
Quarterfinal Results
- Dominican Republic 10, Korea 0 (7 innings)
- United States 5, Canada 3
- Italy 8, Puerto Rico 6
- Venezuela 8, Japan 5
Semifinal Schedule
- United States 2, Dominican Republic 1
- Monday, March 16: Italy vs. Venezuela, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
Championship Game
- Tuesday, March 17: United States vs. TBD, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)