WBC 2026: USA Shuts Down D.R. 2-1 to Reach Third Straight Classic Final
Team USA advanced to the World Baseball Classic final for the third consecutive time with a 2-1 win over the Dominican Republic on Sunday night, March 15, 2026, at loanDepot Park in Miami. In a semifinal that lived up to the hype—two of the most loaded lineups in WBC history, plus a sellout crowd of 36,337—the Americans rode solo home runs from Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony, Paul Skenes' gutty start, and a lockdown bullpen to hold off the D.R. The U.S. will have an off day before facing the winner of Italy vs. Venezuela in the championship game Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET (FOX). Manager Mark DeRosa called it "high-level baseball at its finest"; the D.R.'s Albert Pujols said it was a "huge game between two huge teams" and that it just wasn't meant to be for his side.
The Dominican Republic struck first. Junior Caminero led off the second inning with a solo home run off Paul Skenes—an elevated sweeper that Caminero drove to left-center for his third homer of the tournament and the D.R.'s 15th of the Classic, a WBC record. Luis Severino protected that 1-0 lead in the third by striking out Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber back-to-back with two runners in scoring position, then roared and pounded his chest. Momentum swung quickly. Gunnar Henderson led off the fourth with a 400-foot blast off Severino to tie the game. One out later, with Gregory Soto on in relief, Roman Anthony—the Red Sox prospect who had bought a ticket to watch the 2023 WBC final in the same building—hit a solo shot to center to put the USA ahead 2-1. Anthony called it a "full-circle moment" and a dream since he could remember watching the event.
How the game unfolded
Skenes worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on six hits with no walks and two strikeouts. He pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, but the inning ran up his pitch count. The D.R. threatened again in the fifth: Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ketel Marte singled, and DeRosa went to Tyler Rogers to face Juan Soto. Rogers needed two pitches to get Soto to bounce into an inning-ending double play—Bobby Witt Jr. fielded it right of second, stepped on the bag, and fired to first. Julio Rodríguez then made the defensive play of the night: he went airborne at the wall to rob Aaron Judge of a solo homer in the top of the fifth, keeping the D.R. within a run. Judge had already made a sensational throw from right to nail Tatis at third for the final out of the third and laid out to take a hit away from Soto in the fourth. Judge tipped his cap to J-Rod: "Hit it to a guy like J-Rod, who's the best center fielder in the game, and he's gonna make exciting plays like that in big moments."
David Bednar escaped a jam in the seventh—runners at second and third, one out—by striking out Tatis and Marte. Garrett Whitlock threw a 1-2-3 eighth. In the ninth, closer Mason Miller stranded the tying run at third and finished the game with a slider to Geraldo Perdomo that was called strike three (the pitch was below the zone; the ABS Challenge System is not in use in the WBC). Pujols did not criticize the call: "I'm disappointed about the way that the game ends, but I don't want to criticize any of that. It just wasn't meant to be for us." The Americans had built a roster meant for the final; beating the D.R. in a thriller was the proof.
Names to watch for AthX
USA: Aaron Judge (Yankees), Paul Skenes (Pirates), Gunnar Henderson (Orioles), Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals), Kyle Schwarber (Phillies), Roman Anthony (Red Sox prospect), Mason Miller (A's), Tyler Rogers, David Bednar, Garrett Whitlock. Dominican Republic: Juan Soto (Mets), Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres), Ketel Marte (D-backs), Julio Rodríguez (Mariners), Junior Caminero (Rays), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays). WBC performance does not affect dynamic pricing—AthX prices are driven by MLB performance—but a run to the final keeps these names in the spotlight.
What It Means for AthX
WBC results do not affect dynamic pricing; AthX share prices are based on MLB performance. The semifinal showcased elite two-way play and bullpen depth; use the marketplace to see how these players are valued heading into Opening Day.
*Sources: MLB.com – USA shuts down DR stars in thriller to return to 3rd straight Classic final; AP News – U.S. beats Dominican Republic 2-1 to reach 3rd straight WBC title game; World Baseball Network – Young stars shine in WBC semifinal. Fact-checked March 15, 2026.*