The United States edged past the Dominican Republic 2–1 in a tense semifinal clash to secure a place in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic, marking the Americans’ third straight appearance in the tournament final.
Powered by solo home runs from Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony, Team USA overcame an early deficit and relied on strong pitching to contain one of the tournament’s most explosive lineups.
Pitching and Defense Lead the Way
American starting pitcher Paul Skenes delivered a steady performance on the mound, allowing one run on six hits over 4⅓ innings. The bullpen then stepped in to keep the Dominican offense scoreless for the remainder of the game.
Closer Mason Miller sealed the victory in dramatic fashion in the ninth inning. With a runner on third base and two outs, he struck out Geraldo Perdomo to record the save and send the United States to the final.
Defensively, Team USA also delivered key moments. Aaron Judge made a crucial throw from right field earlier in the game to catch Fernando Tatis Jr. attempting to advance, helping prevent a potential scoring opportunity.
Dominicans Strike First but Fall Short
The Dominican Republic opened the scoring in the second inning when Junior Caminero launched a solo home run, setting a tournament record with the team’s 15th homer of the competition.
Team USA responded in the fourth inning. Henderson tied the game with a solo shot, and Anthony followed with the go-ahead homer to give the Americans a lead they would not relinquish.
Despite a lineup stacked with stars — including Julio Rodríguez and Fernando Tatis Jr. — the Dominican offense was largely neutralized by the American pitching staff.
Championship Game Awaits
With the victory, Team USA moves one step closer to its second World Baseball Classic title. The Americans previously won the tournament in 2017 and finished as runners-up in 2023 after losing to Shohei Ohtani and Japan.
The United States will now face the winner of the semifinal matchup between Italy and Venezuela in Tuesday’s championship game.
