2026 World Baseball Classic Results, Live Highlights, Analysis for USA vs. DR

Team USA is headed back to the World Baseball Classic Final, and getting there took everything they had against the Dominican Republic.

Whereas many might have expected Sunday's semifinal to turn into an offensive showcase, Team USA got two of the game's three solo home runs to win 2-1.

Paul Skenes bent, but didn't break in his 4.1 innings. The USA bullpen took it from there, permitting no runs and only two hits the rest of the way. Mason Miller sealed it with a decisive yet controversial called third strike.

Regardless, Team USA is headed to its third WBC Final since 2017. It will await the winner of Italy vs. Venezuela on Monday.

Ahead are our main takeaways from Sunday's game, followed by running commentary for all nine innings.

Takeaways from USA's 2-1 over Dominican Republic

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Roman Anthony

Team USA's Pitching Passed the Ultimate Test

The Dominican Republic came into Sunday batting .312/.453/.637 as a team for the WBC, with 14 home runs. When Junior Caminero put them on the board with a solo shot in the fourth inning, they set a new tournament record for home runs.

So, how did they get just the one run against Team USA?

Missed opportunities had a lot to do with it. The D.R. left eight runners on base and went just 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Neither of those hits scored a run, including the Geraldo Perdomo single in the seventh on which Austin Wells had to freeze.

For the most part, though, it was just good pitching from the Americans. Paul Skenes really only made one mistake, and the David Bednar-Garrett Whitlock-Mason Miller trio at the end of the game collected six of the club's eight strikeouts. That was against just one walk.

Altogether, Team USA's pitching has 76 strikeouts against only nine walks for the tournament. They're not beating themselves, and that works more often than not.

The World Baseball Classic Needs the ABS

Though the WBC features newer innovations such as the pitch clock and larger bases, it does not have the Automated Ball-Strike System that MLB is rolling out in 2026.

That came into play multiple times in this game, including on the final pitch from Miller to Geraldo Perdomo. What was called strike three should have been ball four, bringing Fernando Tatis Jr. to the plate with runners on the corners.

Prior to that, Juan Soto also had a bad strike called against him in the eighth inning.

These calls aren't the reason the Dominican Republic lost, but it's hard to imagine a more convincing case for why robot umps are needed. One team has to lose, of course, but you never want to see any team go down like that.

Roman Anthony Is Ascendant

For Team USA, the big swings of Sunday's game both happened in the fourth inning.

Gunnar Henderson tied the game with a solo shot in response to the one that Caminero had hit in the second inning. Later in the inning, Roman Anthony put the USA up for good with a 108.2 mph, 421-foot bolt out to right field.

It was Anthony's second homer of the tournament, in which he's also hitting .318 with seven runs batted in.

It's not bad for a guy who was an injury replacement for Corbin Carroll, but Boston Red Sox fans are not surprised. They watched Anthony become the team's best player in only 71 games last year, notably with the league's highest hard-hit rate (60.3 percent).

The world is finding out what Boston already knows: Anthony is no normal 21-year-old.

9th Inning

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Mason Miller

Top of 9th: USA Batting vs. Camilo Doval

Albert Pujols is going to Camilo Doval.

The hope is to keep this a 2-1 game. Doval can have control issues that could make things interesting.

A pitch clock violation on Doval gives Will Smith a free ball.

Doval overcomes his oopsie gets Smith looking at a fastball on the inside corner. It had the edge, despite Smith's brief protest.

Byron Buxton is now batting in place of Roman Anthony, whose homer in the fourth is the difference in this game.

Buxton strikes out swinging on a nasty slider off the outside edge. Two outs.

Brice Turang grounds out softly to first to end the frame.

It's onto the bottom of the ninth, where the D.R. rooters in Miami will need to summon all the energy that has gone missing since the fourth inning.

Bottom of 9th: D.R. Batting vs. Mason Miller

Here comes Mason Miller to close out the game for USA.

Miller was last scored against on August 5, 2025. Including the WBC, that was 25 appearances ago.

Miller starts by striking out Junior Caminero.

Threw him three fastballs over 101 mph, and then buried a slider in the dirt for the whiff.

Miller walks Julio Rodríguez on five pitches. Only one fastball, oddly enough.

Oneil Cruz is pinch-hitting for Austin Wells.

This is Albert Pujols going for the win with a power-on-power matchup. Cruz has the longest home run (450 feet) of this WBC.

Miller lost the handle on a slider that Will Smith couldn't handle, and Rodríguez gets to into scoring position.

Smith made up for it with a brilliant stop of a changeup in the dirt on 1-1 to Cruz.

Cruz chases and grounds one to short for the second out. But Rodríguez gets to third.

Miller can't afford another wayward pitch this time.

Miller gets Geraldo Perdomo looking for the final out.

But this one is going to be disputed. Miller's final slider clearly missed the zone, and thus could have been overturned with the ABS.

That would have put runners on first and third for Fernando Tatis Jr. and the top of the D.R. lineup.

All the same, USA is moving onto the World Baseball Classic Final for the third time in as many tries since 2017.

Final Score: USA 2, Dominican Republic 1

8th Inning

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Seranthony Domínguez

Top of 8th: USA Batting vs. Seranthony Domínguez 

Another pitching change for Albert Pujols, who goes to Seranthony Domínguez.

Aaron Judge got a hanging splitter, but swung through it for strike three. One out.

Kyle Schwarber follows with a five-pitch walk, and USA has a one-out baserunner.

Always a danger with Domínguez, whose walk rate was in the 1st percentile in 2025.

Gunnar Henderson bounces into a 4-6-3 double play, and that's all for Team USA in the eighth.

They're running out of time to add the insurance runs they badly need.

Bottom of 8th: D.R. Batting vs. Garrett Whitlock

Mark DeRosa is going to the pen for Garrett Whitlock.

Whitlock is one of two USA relievers with a save. The other is Mason Miller, who may have the ninth if Whitlock can get the job done here.

The key at this point is keeping the D.R. in the yard. The long ball has been their scoring weapon of choice in the WBC, but they only have the one tonight.

Defensive change: Pete Crow-Armstrong goes to left, with Byron Buxton taking over in center.

Whitlock gets Juan Soto looking on a slider that definitely missed the zone.

If this is the regular season, that's almost certainly ball two instead of strike three.

Whitlock now gets Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to ground one back to him. Two outs.

And now down goes Manny Machado swinging to end the inning.

The roar of approval from USA fans at loanDepot Park is somehow quieter than the silence of the larger contingent of D.R. fans. Thousands of stunned diehards.

USA 2, D.R. 1 heading into 9th

7th Inning

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David Bednar

Top of 7th: USA Batting vs. Abner Uribe

Albert Pujols goes to the pen again, this time for Abner Uribe.

The righty has Pete Crow-Armstrong in the No. 9 spot, then the top of the USA order.

Uribe gets PCA on a harmless fly to center.

Bobby Witt Jr. sees a sinker and two sliders and fans on three pitches.

It's his third strikeout of the game and one of 12 for Team USA in total. The D.R. has struck out only twice.

Bryce Harper's slump continues with an inning-ending grounder to second.

Only nine pitches for Uribe.

Bottom of 7th: D.R. Batting vs. David Bednar

Mark DeRosa lifts Griffin Jax for David Bednar.

He's pitched three scoreless innings in the WBC so far, striking out six against no walks.

Bobby Witt Jr. shows impressive range out in left field to track down a pop fly by Julio Rodríguez.

A one-out double by Austin Wells puts the tying run on second base for the D.R.!

Wells normally does the catching for Bednar with the Yankees, so nothing he threw him was going to be a surprise.

A single into center by Geraldo Perdomo, but Wells can't score.

He had to freeze on the line drive and then the choice was made not to test Pete Crow-Armstrong's arm. He averaged 92.3 mph on his throws last year.

Perdomo steals second and now the USA infield must come in with runners on second and third.

Bednar gets Tatis for the second out! He threw Tatis three splitters and he swung and missed at all three. Two outs.

Down goes Ketel Marte swinging at a curveball, and Bednar and the USA are out of the jam.

Yeah, Bednar has this Houdini thing figured out.

Six more outs to get for Team USA.

USA 2, D.R. 1 heading into 8th

6th Inning

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Huascar Brazobán

Top of 6th: USA Batting vs. Huascar Brazobán

Will Smith is down swinging at a cutter to open the inning.

Smith is starting in place of Cal Raleigh, who doesn't like where his swing is after a 60-homer season in 2025.

Roman Anthony is also down on strikes, this time looking.

No hard contact for him this time. As the broadcast noted, Anthony led all of MLB in hard-hit rate as a rookie for Boston in 2025.

There's that changeup from Brazobán to fan Brice Turang for the third out.

Four batters faced and three strikeouts for the 36-year-old, who made his MLB debut as a 32-year-old for Miami in 2022. One of the cooler stories on this D.R. roster.

Bottom of 6th: D.R. Batting vs. Griffin Jax

Mark DeRosa is going back to the pen for Griffin Jax.

Like Paul Skenes, Jax formerly pitched at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. His Whiff% and K% rates were in the 98th percentile last year.

Jax may have gotten a favorable call on a 1-1 fastball to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He flew out to Pete Crow-Armstrong on the next pitch.

Bobby Witt Jr. does it again! Ranging to his right and getting the out.

He's just showing off at this point.

And on his seventh pitch of the inning, Jax gets Junior Caminero to fly out to center.

Anyone have this as a 2-1 game going into the seventh?

USA 2, D.R. 1 heading into the 7th

5th Inning

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Bryce Harper

Top of 5th: USA Batting vs. Juan Mejia

First pitch swinging for Bryce Harper and he flies out to left. He's now batting .174 for the tournament.

Julio Rodríguez brings the No Fly Zone to Miami and robs Aaron Judge!

That one might not have cleared the wall, but definitely close enough to go into the books as a home run robbery. Judge must be sick of J-Rod doing that to him.

Ketel Marte can't get to a ground ball by Kyle Schwarber. One on, two out for USA.

Albert Pujols is bringing in Huascar Brazobán to face Gunnar Henderson.

It's a righty-on-lefty matchup, but Brazobán has an unusual pitch mix that includes a lefty-killer changeup.

Genius. Henderson is out on a soft grounder to first.

Halfway home and this is anyone's game.

Bottom of 5th: D.R. Batting vs. Paul Skenes

After what happened last inning, Skenes could really use a quick one here.

Good start for Skenes, who gets Geraldo Perdomo on an easy pop to left. But now the lineup turns back over to face him a third time.

John Smoltz did that thing where he yells at clouds, this time about Skenes' workload for the Pirates. So, that box is checked.

The D.R. has a one-out baserunner following an weak chopper to third by Fernando Tatis Jr. Gunnar Henderson's throw to first was off the mark.

Ketel Marte slashes a single to center field to put runners at first and second with one out.

That's it for Skenes. Mark DeRosa is going to Tyler Rogers.

71 pitches and 50 strikes for Skenes. He was economical and effective against arguably the most lethal lineup in WBC history.

Juan Soto is 2-for-7 with no homers against Rogers, who is as not Paul Skenes as any pitcher in the league.

This time, USA gets the double play. 6-3 from Bobby Witt Jr. to Bryce Harper to end the inning.

For this one, DeRosa gets a tip of the cap.

USA 2, D.R. 1 heading into the 6th

4th Inning

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Gunnar Henderson

Top of 4th: USA Batting vs. Luis Severino

Solo home run by Gunnar Henderson! It's tied at 1-1.

Heck of an at-bat there, working Severino for nine pitches before he got a cutter over the heart of the plate.

105.8 mph off the bat, slightly harder than Junior Caminero's homer earlier.

Will Smith gave one a ride, but it dies in Juan Soto's glove in left field.

That's it for Severino. D.R. manager Albert Pujols is going to Gregory Soto.

The lefty is in for Roman Anthony, who hit .278 against lefties as a rookie in 2025.

Solo home run by Roman Anthony! It's USA 2, D.R. 1

He got a sinker down the middle and walloped it at 108.2 mph. It went 421 feet.

Between the Aaron Judge throw to end the third and the Henderson and Anthony homers, it's been a nice sequence for the AL East.

Brice Turang goes down swinging at a dirty slider from Soto. Two outs.

Pete Crow-Armstrong grounded one back to Soto, but he couldn't make the play. PCA's speed took it from there. On one with two outs for USA.

Another change for Pujols, who's bringing in Juan Mejia.

The righty is in for Bobby Witt Jr. and the top of the lineup.

No damage this time, as Mejia gets Witt reaching for a slider to end the inning.

This is the first time the D.R. has trailed since they were down 1-0 to Nicaragua after one inning back on March 6.

Bottom of 4th: D.R. Batting vs. Paul Skenes

Aaron Judge shines on defense again! This time leaving his feet to rob his old teammate, Juan Soto.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. just made a very loud noise with a 116.1 mph double. There's that 97th percentile bat speed.

It's the hardest-hit ball Skenes has allowed since his MLB debut in 2024.

Bobby Witt Jr. couldn't stop a 108 mph bolt by Manny Machado. D.R. is now in business with two on and one out.

Junior Caminero hit a perfect double-play ball to Witt, but Brice Turang lost it on the transfer.

Can't assume the double play, but definitely fair to expect one on plays like that.

And now Skenes hits Julio Rodríguez. He's in pain, but he's staying in and taking his base.

Big spot for Austin Wells. Bases loaded and two outs.

And no dice, as he flies out to Roman Anthony in left. The botched DP doesn't end up hurting Team USA.

USA 2, D.R. 1 heading into the 5th

3rd Inning

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Aaron Judge

Top of 3rd: USA Batting vs. Luis Severino

Mark DeRosa sounded unconcerned in a dugout interview at the start of the inning. Hopefully he knows this game is a must-win.

Pete Crow-Armstrong goes down swinging on a 99 mph fastball. True to his usual form, he chased it out of the zone.

Solid line-drive hit to left for Bobby Witt Jr. Juan Soto did not exactly play it aggressively.

Now Bryce Harper lines one down the right field line and successfully challenges Fernando Tatis Jr.'s arm to get to second.

Second and third with one out for Team USA. And now Aaron Judge is at the plate.

Crowd wanted a 2-2 fastball to Judge, but it was off the outside edge.

Severino gets Judge swinging at a sweeper for strike three anyway. Two outs.

Slowly but surely, the narrative that Judge is bad in the clutch has crept back into the mainstream during the WBC.

Absolute nails for Severino, who gets Kyle Schwarber looking at a sweeper for the third out. A huge squander for Team USA.

Bottom of 3rd: D.R. Batting vs. Paul Skenes

Skenes gets Austin Wells swinging over a splinker for the first out.

Skenes got Geraldo Perdomo on the back foot with a curveball that got away. Runner on with one out for the top of the lineup.

Skenes got a favorable call on a 3-0 fastball, and then got Fernando Tatis Jr. to ground into a fielder's choice with the next pitch.

There's no ABS in the WBC, and it came into play there.

What a throw by Aaron Judge to end the inning!

Tatis tried to go first to third on a ball into right field by Ketel Marte, and he was out by plenty.

That elbow appears to be fine.

D.R. 1, USA 0 heading into the 4th

2nd Inning

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Junior Caminero

Top of 2nd: USA Batting vs. Luis Severino

Will Smith lofts a leadoff single to right field. Heck of a job to inside-out a 99 mph fastball running in on him.

Severino gets Roman Anthony looking on perfect 99 mph fastball at the knees.

That's all for Team USA, as Brice Turang grounds into a 4-6-3 double play to end it.

Only 10 pitches for Severino, who needed a quick inning.

Bottom of 2nd: D.R. Batting vs. Paul Skenes

Nice play on a short hop by Gunnar Henderson at third to get Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the first out.

Notably, Henderson is starting over Alex Bregman at the hot corner.

Paul Skenes dotted a 99 mph fastball on the corner to Manny Machado for strike three. Unfair pitch.

Solo home run by Junior Caminero! It's 1-0 D.R.

Properly crushed at 105.6 mph against a sweeper that hung too much.

The Dominican Republic now has 15 home runs for the tournament, a record for the WBC.

Julio Rodríguez grounds out to second to end the inning.

The D.R. had the crowd on its side. Now it has the lead, too.

D.R. 1, USA 0 heading to the 3rd

1st Inning

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Bobby Witt Jr.

Top of 1st: USA Batting vs. Luis Severino

Severino makes Bobby Witt Jr. look bad on a swinging third strike on a sweeper for the first out.

He got his fastball up to 99 mph and got a huge cheer on strike three. It definitely sounds like a pro-D.R. crowd in Miami.

Severino also fans Bryce Harper, this time on a backdoor cutter at 96 mph. He's letting it eat in this first inning.

After seven pitches, Aaron Judge lined a single to left field. He did well to lay off a couple tough sweepers to make Severino work.

And now Severino hits Kyle Schwarber with a sweeper that got away. Runners on first and second and a two-out chance for Team USA.

Severino gets out of it by getting Gunnar Henderson on a ground ball to second. He had to throw 22 pitches, but no damage.

Bottom of 1st: D.R. Batting vs. Paul Skenes

Fernando Tatis Jr. got the crowd hyped with a fly ball to left, but it falls harmlessly in Roman Anthony's glove.

Out No. 2 for Skenes on a soft pop-up to second by Ketel Marte.

Skenes goes 1-2-3 by inducing Juan Soto on a hard ground ball to second base.

Terrific diving play by Brice Turang. He's a Platinum Glover out there for a reason, folks.

Only nine pitches for Skenes, who topped out at 98.0 mph.

0-0 heading to the 2nd inning

Lineups and Keys to the Game

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Juan Soto

USA's Lineup

SS Bobby Witt Jr.

1B Bryce Harper

RF Aaron Judge

DH Kyle Schwarber

3B Gunnar Henderson

C Will Smith

LF Roman Anthony

2B Brice Turang

CF Pete Crow-Armstrong

Pitcher: RHP Paul Skenes

Dominican Republic's Lineup

RF Fernando Tatis Jr.

2B Ketel Marte

LF Juan Soto

1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

3B Manny Machado

DH Junior Caminero

CF Julio Rodríguez

C Austin Wells

SS Geraldo Perdomo

Pitcher: RHP Luis Severino

Key for the Dominican Republic: Paul Skenes as Immovable Force

In what should be a surprise to nobody, the Dominican Republic's offense has run roughshod over the tournament. In five games, they have scored 51 runs and hit a collective .312/.453/.637 with 14 home runs.

However, they now have the unenviable task of going up against Paul Skenes.

The 23-year-old has a 1.96 ERA to show for his first 55 starts in the majors, and he allowed only one hit and one walk over four scoreless innings in his WBC debut against Mexico. He averaged 97.4 mph on his four-seamer and sinker.

The D.R. offense has seen only 38 pitches over 97 mph, and they have a 41.7 whiff rate against those. If contact against high heat continues to elude them, Skenes could have a field day.

Key for the USA: A Stress Test for an Underperforming Offense

On paper, at least, Team USA's lineup is every bit as good as the one the D.R. brought to play with. But it's been different story on the field:

Dominican Republic: 1.090 OPS, 14 HR, 51 R

USA: .883 OPS, 7 HR, 40 R

Aaron Judge has lived up to his captain billing by going 5-for-19 with a pair of home runs, but Pete Crow-Armstrong is the only other Team USA hitter who has left the yard more than once. Six players have done so for the D.R.

There's too much talent in Team USA's lineup for it to be this cool, and they need to err on the side of caution and not count on Skenes to bail them out. Bryce Harper and Cal Raleigh, especially, need to show up.