Aaron Judge and Roman Anthony homer
as US tops Jarren Duran and Mexico 5-3 in WBC
[March 10, 2026]
Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer and Roman Anthony added a three-run
drive in a big third inning to lead the United States over Mexico
5-3 in the World Baseball Classic at Houston's Daikin Park on Monday
night.
The U.S. improved to 3-0 and will meet Italy (2-0) on Tuesday night,
seeking to secure a spot in the quarterfinals in Houston this
weekend.
Jarren Duran homered twice for Mexico (2-1), which will face Italy
Wednesday night in the last game of Group B play.
The game was played in front of a sellout crowd of 41,628 that was
decidedly pro-Mexico.
Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes allowed one hit and
struck out seven in four innings as the U.S. beat Mexico at the WBC
for the first time since 2006. The Americans lost 11-5 to Mexico in
2023.
The U.S. led by three entering the eighth inning before Duran took
Matthew Boyd deep for his second homer. Boyd then hit Randy
Arozarena on the arm with a pitch before striking out Jonathan
Aranda.
Griffin Jax took over and induced a double-play grounder from
Alejandro Kirk to end the inning.
Bryce Harper singled on a ball that hit reliever Jesus Cruz on the
leg with no outs in the third inning. Judge followed with his second
home run of the tournament, an opposite-field drive to right field
that put the Americans up 2-0.
Kyle Schwarber singled and Cal Raleigh was hit by a pitch with one
out before Anthony’s homer to right-center pushed the lead to 5-0.
Duran homered for a second straight game with his solo shot off Boyd
that cut the lead to 5-1 with one out in the sixth. There were two
on and two outs when Joey Meneses singled in a run to make it 5-2.
Tatis’ grand slam leads Dominican Republic over Israel and into
quarterfinals
Fernando Tatis hit a grand slam and drove in six runs, and the
Dominican Republic clinched a spot in the World Baseball Classic
quarterfinals with a 10-1 win over Israel in Miami.
Tatis homered in the second inning on a 78.5 mph changeup off loser
Ryan Prager, standing at home plate and admiring his no-doubt drive
over the left-field wall, then added a two-run single in the
seventh. Geraldo Perdomo had put the Dominicans ahead with a
bases-loaded walk.
Tatis’ six RBIs tied Adrian González in 2009 for second-most in a
WBC game, one behind Ken Griffey Jr.’s record in 2006.
The Dominicans (3-0) top Group D along with Venezuela (3-0), which
also clinched a quarterfinal berth due to the Dominicans' win.
Venezuela later beat Nicaragua 4-0.
The winner of Wednesday's Venezuela-Dominican Republic game will
play South Korea in a quarterfinal in Miami on Friday, The loser
will face Shohei Ohtani and Japan at Miami on Saturday.
Oneil Cruz added a solo homer in the fourth off Zack Weiss, a 115.9
mph drive.
Spencer Horwitz drove in Israel’s run with a fourth-inning homer
against winner Bryan Bello. That was the only hit allowed in five
innings by Bello, who struck out seven and walked none.
Horwitz and Noah Mendlinger, the top two hitters in the order for
Israel (1-2), went a combined 2 for 7, while the rest of the order
went 0 for 22.
Maldonado's 3-run double propels Puerto Rico past Cuba and into
quarterfinals
Martín Maldonado hit a three-run double, and five pitchers combined
on a two-hitter to help host Puerto Rico clinch a spot in the
quarterfinals with a 4-1 victory over Cuba in San Juan.
Yankees prospect Elmer Rodríguez pitched three shutout innings, and
Mets-turned-Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz struck out two in the ninth
for the save.
Cuba (2-1) can still reach the knockout round with a victory over
Canada on Wednesday. Puerto Rico (3-0) finishes group play against
Canada on Tuesday.
Julio Robaina, who pitched one game for the Astros in 2024, loaded
the bases in the second inning on two singles and a walk before
Maldonado hit a liner down the third-base line and into the corner
to make it 3-0.
Puerto Rico took a 4-0 lead in the fifth on Carlos Cortes’ sacrifice
fly before Alfredo Despaigne hit an RBI double in the sixth for
Cuba.
Maldonado, who announced his retirement last fall, spent 15 years in
the major leagues with seven teams, winning a Gold Glove with the
Angels in 2017 and the 2022 World Series with the Astros.
Colombia eliminates Panama with 4-3 win
Reynaldo Rodriguez hit a two-run single in a four-run sixth inning
for already-eliminated Colombia (1-3), which won the Group A game at
San Juan, Puerto Rico, and ensured Panama (1-3) cannot advance from
the group.
Panama's Jonathan Araúz exchanged shouts and pushes with manager
José Mayorga when the pinch hitter returned to the dugout after
grounding out leading off the ninth. Araúz had not run hard out of
the batter's box.
Jordan Diaz hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly against Miguel Gomez in the
sixth and Daniel Vellojin added an RBI single.
[to top of second column] |
United States' Roman Anthony, right, celebrates with Kyle Schwarber
(12) after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning of a
World Baseball Classic game against Mexico, Monday, March 9, 2026,
in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
José Caballero homered off Rio Gomez in the bottom
half, and Jose Ramos and Christian Bethancourt had RBI singles that
cut the deficit to one run in the eighth.
Ruben Tejada singled with one out in the ninth off Pedro Garcia, who
then struck out Enrique Bradfield Jr. and retired Caballero on a
flyout for his first save.
Winner Austin Bergner pitched a scoreless fifth inning. Jorge Garcia
was the loser.
South Korea advances on tiebreaker with 7-2 win over Australia
South Korea advanced to the quarterfinals, moving past the first
round for the first time since 2009 by beating Australia at the
Tokyo Dome behind four RBIs from Bo Gyeong Moon, who leads the
tournament with 11.
The South Koreans (2-2) finished second in Group C behind Japan and
Shohei Ohtani, and they will next play on Friday. South Korea,
Australia and Taiwan all had identical records, and South Korea
needed to beat Australia by five runs or more to advance based on a
tiebreaker of fewest runs allowed divided by defensive outs.
Australia would have advanced with a win or a loss by four runs or
fewer.
Hyun Min Ahn hit a decisive sacrifice fly in the ninth that scored
Hae-Min Park standing up. Do Yeong Kim walked against Jack
O’Loughlin leading off and Park, a pinch runner, reached third when
Jung Hoo Lee's grounder off O’Loughlin's glove went to shortstop
Jarryd Dale, whose throw to second bounced into short right field
for an error.
With Australia needing one run to advance, Chris Burke walked with
one out in the bottom half and Lee robbed Rixon Wingrove of an
extra-base hit with a sliding, backhand catch in the right-center
gap. Pinch-hitter Logan Wade followed with a game-ending popout to
Moon, and the first baseman threw his glove high in celebration.
Winner Ju Young Son pitched a scoreless first. Loser Lachlan Wells
allowed two runs, two hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings.
Moon had three hits, including a second-inning homer off Wells, and
is batting .538 (7 for 13). Lee and Moon had RBI doubles in the
third, and Moon added a run-scoring single for a 5-0 lead in the
fifth.
Robbie Glendinning homered in the bottom half but Do Yeong Kim's RBI
single boosted the lead to 6-1 in the sixth. Top prospect Travis
Bazzana hit a run-scoring single in the eighth.
Japan (3-0) closes group play on Tuesday against the Czech Republic
(0-3).
Lewis homers, Chisholm drives in 3 as Britain beats Brazil 8-1
Ian Lewis Jr. homered with two RBIs and Jazz Chisholm Jr. added two
hits with three RBIs to lead Britain (1-3) in a one-hitter at
Houston's Daikin Park that ended the tournament for a pair of teams
that were eliminated from advancing from Group B on Sunday.
Brazil (0-4) was outscored 47-6 and outhit 46-14.
Gabriel Carmo hit a go-ahead double in the fifth for Brazil, which
lost to Mexico 16-0 a day earlier. Lewis homered off Tiago Da Silva
on the first pitch of the bottom half, Harry Ford hit an RBI single
and Chisholm added a run-scoring groundout.
Lewis had an RBI groundout in the sixth, Matt Koperniak hit a
run-scoring single in the seventh off 17-year-old Joseph Contreras —
a son of former major league pitcher José Contreras — and Chisholm
added a two-run single in the eighth.
Acuña homers, Venezuela beats Nicaragua 4-0 to remain unbeaten
Ronald Acuña Jr. homered and drove in two runs as Venezuela
remained unbeaten in Group D with a 4-0 victory over Nicaragua at
Miami.
Starter Yoendrys Gómez struck out three in two innings for the win
and was followed by six relievers.
Venezuela (3-0) and the Dominican Republic (3-0) will play to
determine the pool winner Wednesday night. Both teams have advanced
to the quarterfinals.
Nicaragua finished 0-4 and remains winless in eight tournament
games.
Acuña led off with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a
throwing error by Nicaragua catcher Ronald Rivera. Jackson Chourio
drove Acuña home with a sacrifice fly.
In the third, Acuña’s solo blast made it 2-0. Acuña drove a slider
from Danilo Bermudez over the wall in right-center.
That was the only hit allowed by Bermudez, who gave up two runs in
four innings.
Duque Hebbert relieved in the fifth and allowed Acuña’s RBI single
after William Contreras reached on an error and Gleyber Torres
walked.
Wilyer Abreu had a sacrifice fly in the sixth to score Luis Arraez.
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