United States beats Mexico 5-3 to take control of Group B in World Baseball Classic
The United States edged out Mexico 5-3 in a thrilling World Baseball Classic match, maintaining their undefeated status. Paul Skenes excelled in his debut, while Aaron Judge and Roman Anthony played pivotal roles in the win. Mexico fought back with Jarren Duran’s two homers, but ultimately fell short. The group standings remain competitive.
The United States defeated Mexico 5-3 on Monday night at Daikin Park in a matchup between undefeated teams in Group B of the World Baseball Classic.
In front of a lively crowd in Houston, the Americans relied on strong pitching and timely power hitting to secure the win and move into first place in the group standings.
The victory improved the United States to 3-0 in group play, while Mexico dropped to 2-1 with one game remaining in the round-robin stage.
Skenes dominates in WBC debut
Right-hander Paul Skenes delivered a strong performance in his World Baseball Classic debut, throwing four scoreless innings and striking out seven.
Skenes kept the Mexican lineup off balance throughout his outing, helping the United States build an early advantage.
The American offense was led by Aaron Judge, who hit his second home run of the tournament and also contributed a key defensive play in the outfield.
Roman Anthony added a three-run homer that proved to be the decisive hit of the game.
Mexico rallies but falls short
Mexico mounted a late push that energized the large contingent of Mexican supporters in attendance.
Jarren Duran led the comeback effort with two home runs as Mexico narrowed the deficit to two runs in the eighth inning.
The tying run came to the plate in the ninth, but reliever Garrett Whitlock closed out the game to secure the win for the United States.
Group B race still open
With the victory, the United States sits in a strong position to finish atop Group B heading into the final game of the round-robin stage.
The Americans will face Italy on Tuesday and can clinch first place in the group with a win.
Mexico, now 2-1, will also meet Italy on Wednesday and will likely need a victory to maintain its chances of advancing to the quarterfinals.
