Team USA Defeats Dominican Republic 2-1 to Advance to World Baseball Classic Final
Players from United States national baseball team celebrate after defeating the Dominican Republic national baseball team 2-1 to reach the World Baseball Classic final at LoanDepot Park.
Team USA secured a 2-1 victory over the Dominican Republic on Sunday night at LoanDepot Park in Miami, clinching a spot in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) championship game. The matchup, featuring two of the most talent-dense rosters in the tournament, was decided by a combination of elite starting pitching, strategic defensive plays, and a controversial officiating moment in the closing innings.
The United States will now face the winner of the Monday semifinal between Venezuela and Italy in Tuesday’s final.
Skenes and the Pitching Duel
The game began as a high-stakes duel on the mound. Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, started for Team USA. Skenes managed to limit the Dominican Republic’s powerful lineup to just one run over 4⅓ innings, striking out two and maintaining a 1.08 ERA for the tournament.
The Dominican Republic took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when Junior Caminero hit a solo home run off a Skenes slider. Despite the setback, Skenes escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning. The U.S. bullpen, led by Garrett Whitlock and Mason Miller, followed with 4⅔ innings of scoreless relief.
Team USA is headed back to the #WorldBaseballClassic Final for the THIRD STRAIGHT TIME! pic.twitter.com/Mrh7CPkz6W
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 16, 2026
Key Offensive and Defensive Highlights
Team USA’s offense provided the necessary support through solo home runs from young stars Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony. These two hits accounted for the entirety of the U.S. scoring, shifting the momentum in favor of the defending champions.
Defensively, the game was marked by several elite plays:
- Aaron Judge recorded a critical out by throwing out Fernando Tatis Jr. at third base, preventing a potential scoring opportunity.
- Bobby Witt Jr. executed a high-difficulty ground ball putout against Manny Machado to end a late-inning threat.
- Julio Rodriguez of the Dominican Republic made a spectacular catch in center field to rob Aaron Judge of a home run.
TEAM USA IS THREE OUTS AWAY FROM THE #WORLDBASEBALLCLASSIC FINAL! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/s3hVdJYQCZ
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 16, 2026
The Strike Zone Controversy
The conclusion of the game has become a primary point of discussion due to officiating. In the bottom of the ninth inning, with a runner on third and two outs, Geraldo Perdomo faced a full count against U.S. closer Mason Miller.
The final pitch, an 89-mph slider, appeared to drop below the strike zone on digital tracking but was called a strike by home-plate umpire Cory Blaser. Because the WBC does not currently utilize the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system, the call was not subject to challenge.
“I knew 100% it was a ball,” Perdomo told reporters following the game.
🗣️ "LET'S GO"
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 16, 2026
Paul Skenes is FIRED UP after Team USA's victory! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/yNqzD40pT3
Post-Game Reactions
Despite the loss, the Dominican Republic clubhouse remained composed. General Manager Nelson Cruz noted that the team “lost by inches.” Star outfielder Juan Soto expressed pride in the team’s performance, stating, “We showed the world who’s the best team in baseball.” The Dominican Republic finishes the tournament as the leader in total runs (52) and home runs (15).
See Jeff Passan’s analysis of the final moments on X
FINAL: United States 2, Dominican Republic 1
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 16, 2026
Team USA advances to the World Baseball Class final in a tremendous, tense game where all three runs came on homers. Roman Anthony provided the game winner, and the U.S. bullpen made it hold up with 4.2 shutout against a juggernaut.
Tournament Outlook
Team USA moves on to its third consecutive WBC final. They will face the winner of the Venezuela-Italy semifinal.
Official Tournament Updates:
- Final Score: USA 2, Dominican Republic 1
- Winning Pitcher: Paul Skenes
- Save: Mason Miller
- Next Game: WBC Final, Tuesday, March 17, 2026
View the final game wrap-up on X
Team USA advanced past the Dominican Republic on THIS strike three call with Fernando Tatis Jr. on deck 😬 pic.twitter.com/6112x6P6pY
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) March 16, 2026
