World Baseball Classic 2023: Scores and Reaction from Wednesday Results

Say goodbye to pool play at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Wednesday's slate featured one single-elimination quarterfinal showdown and the final four games of pool play before the remaining teams turn their attention toward pursuing the title.

Here is a look at the scores and how the action unfolded:

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Wednesday WBC Scores

• Cuba 4, Australia 3 (quarterfinals)

• Venezuela 5, Israel 1

• Mexico 10, Canada 3
• Puerto Rico 5, Dominican Republic 2

• United States 3, Colombia 2

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Cuba 4, Australia 3

There was no shortage of drama in the day's only quarterfinals matchup as Cuba defeated Australia 4-3.

It seemed as if the victors were going to cruise when they jumped out to a 4-1 lead behind RBI from Luis Robert Jr., Alfredo Despaigne and Yoelkis Guibert. Guibert drove home Robert and Yoán Moncada, who reached base four times, with a single in the fifth and appeared to break it open.

Yet Rixon Wingrove's two-run homer in the sixth made it anyone's game.

To Cuba's credit, the bullpen combination of Liván Moinelo and Raidel Martínez closed the door and clinched the team's spot in the final four. It was quite the turnaround after Cuba lost to the Netherlands and Italy in back-to-back games in Pool A play.

"The first couple games of the Taiwan round, it was ... difficult to play," Guibert said, per Matt Monagan of MLB.com. "But we got through it, and we [clinched a spot in] the semifinal. ... We are looking forward to move to the next stage, too."

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Venezuela 5, Israel 1

There wasn't nearly as much at stake in the day's second game, which Venezuela won 5-1 over Israel.

The victors finished Pool D play with an undefeated record and advanced to the quarterfinals. They left no doubt from the start with three quick runs in the first inning and didn't look back.

Eduardo Escobar and Eugenio Suárez provided more fireworks with solo home runs in the fourth and sixth innings, and Israel didn't have the offense to overcome such a deficit. Suárez finished with three RBI and three hits in a dominant display.

Venezuela's lineup is loaded with major league talent, including Jose Altuve and Gleyber Torres, and it will now turn its attention to the next round after cruising through pool play.

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Mexico 10, Canada 3

The task was fairly simple for Mexico and Canada going into Wednesday's matchup: win and you're in the quarterfinals.

Mexico left no doubt, which was the better side with a commanding 10-3 victory, although it didn't pull away until the later innings. Bo Naylor's homer for Canada cut the early deficit to 3-2 in the fourth inning, but the victors exploded for four runs in the sixth, two in the seventh and another in the eighth to ice it.

Randy Arozarena's three-RBI double started the scoring in the sixth, and Joey Meneses' RBI single added to it. Just for good measure, Rowdy Tellez launched a solo homer in the eighth to add some style points.

Tellez had three RBI, while Arozarena notched five of his own.

That was more than enough run support for a bullpen that combined to allow a single run in five innings of work.

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Puerto Rico 5, Dominican Republic 2

The Dominican Republic entered the World Baseball Classic as tournament favorites, but the team's star-studded lineup couldn't get it out of Pool D action following a 5-2 loss to Puerto Rico on Wednesday.

After two scoreless innings to kick off Wednesday's contest between the two sides, Puerto Rico opened things up with a four-run third inning highlighted by a home run from catcher Christian Vázquez.

Francisco Lindor, Kiké Hernández and MJ Melendez also drove in runs during the third inning.

The Dominican Republic responded in the bottom of the third inning on a home run by Juan Soto, but that was the team's only excitement of the contest as it couldn't get anything going at the plate, finishing with just six hits in 32 at-bats.

Lindor sealed Puerto Rico's victory on arguably the most exciting play of the day—an inside-the-park home run to extend the lead to 5-1.

Unfortunately for Puerto Rico—and the New York Mets—star closer Edwin Díaz suffered a lower-body injury while celebrating the team's big victory. He was taken off the field in a wheelchair, and his status moving forward is unclear.

The Dominican Republic dropped to 2-2 in pool play with Wednesday's loss to Puerto Rico, which advanced to Saturday's quarterfinal against Mexico.

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United States 3, Colombia 2

The United States is advancing to the quarterfinals after a huge 3-2 win over Colombia on Wednesday night at Arizona's Chase Field in Pool C action.

The Americans were led by Los Angeles Angels slugger Mike Trout, who posted three hits in four at-bats, driving in each of the team's three runs.

Trout gave the United States a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning, driving in Mookie Betts from second base on a ground ball to center field.

While Colombia briefly captured a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third, Trout helped the Americans recapture the lead in the top of the fifth inning, hitting a line drive single to left field that scored Betts and Will Smith.

The United States, the Pool C runner-up, will now play Venezuela in the quarterfinal round on Friday at 7 p.m. ET on FS1. It should be a difficult matchup for the Americans, and Trout and Co. will have to top their performance from Wednesday night if the U.S. hopes to advance.

Venezuela, led by Jose Altuve and Ronald Acuna Jr., went 4-0 in Pool D action, including impressive wins over the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.