Team USA Advances to World Baseball Classic Final After Close Win against Dominican Republic
The United States defeated the Dominican Republic 2-1 in a tense semifinal of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, thanks to home runs from Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony. Strong pitching from Paul Skenes and the bullpen contained the Dominican offense. Team USA advances to the final, seeking its second WBC title.
The United States held off a late rally to defeat the Dominican Republic 2-1 on Sunday, securing a place in the championship game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Home runs from Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony powered the American offense, while a strong pitching performance led by Paul Skenes and the U.S. bullpen kept the Dominican lineup largely in check.
With the victory, Team USA advanced to its third consecutive WBC final. The Americans won the tournament in 2017 and finished runner-up in 2023 after falling to Japan.
They will face the winner of the semifinal between Italy and Venezuela in Tuesday’s championship game.
Henderson and Anthony provide the offense
The semifinal matchup between two star-filled lineups delivered key moments on both sides.
The Dominican Republic opened the scoring in the second inning when Junior Caminero launched a solo home run off Skenes. The blast was the team’s 15th homer of the tournament, setting a new World Baseball Classic record.
The United States responded in the fourth inning when Henderson, starting at third base, tied the game with a home run off Dominican starter Luis Severino.
Roman Anthony later delivered the decisive blow, connecting on a full-count sinker from Gregory Soto to give the United States a 2-1 lead.
Skenes and bullpen contain Dominican offense
Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, delivered another strong outing for the Americans.
The right-hander allowed one run on six hits over 4 1/3 innings while striking out key hitters in the Dominican lineup.
The U.S. bullpen then took control of the game, shutting down the Dominican offense for the remainder of the contest.
Defensive plays highlight intense semifinal
Defense also played a major role in the tightly contested game.
In the third inning, Aaron Judge made one of the game’s most impressive plays, firing a 95.7 mph throw from right field to cut down Fernando Tatis Jr. at third base.
Later in the fifth inning, the Dominican Republic answered with a highlight of its own when Julio Rodríguez climbed the center-field wall to rob Judge of a home run.
The defensive battle added to the tension of a semifinal matchup between two of the tournament’s most talented rosters.
Dominican Republic threatens late
The Dominican Republic mounted one final rally in the ninth inning.
Julio Rodríguez drew a walk and advanced to third base against closer Mason Miller, bringing the tying run within 90 feet of home plate.
With two outs, Miller struck out Geraldo Perdomo to seal the victory and record his second save of the tournament. Despite the loss, the Dominican Republic reached the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic for the first time since winning the championship in 2013.
United States now one win from title
With the win, the United States moved within one victory of capturing its second World Baseball Classic title.
Led by a roster featuring stars such as Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Paul Skenes, the Americans will now prepare for Tuesday’s final with the chance to add another championship to their international resume.
