WBC 2026: Unbeaten D.R. Thumps Israel 10-1, Clinches Spot in Quarterfinals
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit the first grand slam by a Dominican Republic player in World Baseball Classic history and set a team record with six RBIs as the D.R. rolled past Israel 10-1 on Monday, March 9, 2026, at loanDepot Park in Miami. Brayan Bello held Israel to one hit—a solo homer by Spencer Horwitz—over five innings with seven strikeouts. The Dominican Republic improved to 3-0 and clinched a quarterfinal berth; the result also secured Venezuela's spot in the next round regardless of its remaining games. Israel (1-2) was eliminated from advancing out of Pool D.
Tatis had spent the first two games of the Classic setting the table for his teammates; Monday he decided to eat. The grand slam broke open a game that had started with Israel's Ryan Prager retiring the top of the D.R. order in the first inning. There were warning signs for Prager, though: Ketel Marte (97 mph exit velocity) and Juan Soto (99.3 mph) had made loud outs that stuck with the left-hander. Albert Pujols' Dominican team has one game remaining—Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET (FS1) against Venezuela—in what promises to be a loud, electric environment. Although both teams have advanced, that game will determine pool seeding: the second-place team from Pool D will face defending champion Japan in the quarterfinals.
How the game unfolded
Israel starter Ryan Prager, a left-hander drafted by the Guardians in the ninth round last summer, got through the first but ran into trouble in the second. He walked three of the first four hitters to load the bases. Agustín Ramírez struck out, giving Prager a chance to escape, but Geraldo Perdomo drew a fourth walk to force in the game's first run. Tatis wasn't looking to walk. Prager got ahead of him 1-2, but his fourth pitch caught too much of the plate; Tatis ripped it over the Israeli bullpen and into the left-field seats. He admired the shot, flipped his bat, and set off a celebration among the thousands of Dominican fans and his teammates, many of whom poured out of the dugout to welcome him home—part of a home run tradition the team has embraced this week. The homer was the eighth for the Dominicans in the tournament, leaving them one shy of tying their all-time WBC record (nine in 2006 and 2017). Two innings later they hit their ninth: Oneil Cruz launched a 115.8 mph laser to center field, matching Junior Caminero for the second-hardest-hit home run since pitch tracking began at the 2023 Classic. First on that list is Cruz's 116.8 mph rocket against Nicaragua on Friday.
Tatis continued his big day with a two-run single in the seventh, becoming the first Dominican player to drive in six runs in a WBC game. He tied Adrian González (Mexico, 2009) for the second-most RBIs in a single WBC game; Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. holds the record with seven for Team USA against South Africa in 2006. The all-time team record for homers in a single WBC belongs to Mexico, which hit 14 in 2009. Tatis, who had been 2-for-4 with five walks and four runs in the D.R.'s first two games, is now slashing .500/.692/.875 in the tournament. Bello, meanwhile, gave the Dominicans exactly what they needed: five strong innings, one hit, one run (the Horwitz homer), and seven strikeouts to keep Israel from ever building momentum.
Pool D and what's next
Pool D at loanDepot Park sends the Dominican Republic (3-0) and Venezuela (also advanced) to the quarterfinals. The D.R. has one game left: Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET (FS1) against Venezuela in a matchup that will determine pool seeding—the second-place team will face Japan in the quarterfinals. Israel is eliminated at 1-2 but has already secured a spot in the next WBC by finishing in the top four of the pool. Manager Pujols has emphasized that no matter how you win—by one run or by knockout—the most important thing is to win; the D.R. has done that three times in a row and now gets to play for the top seed before the knockout round.
Names to watch for AthX
Dominican Republic features Juan Soto (Yankees), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays), Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres), Oneil Cruz (Pirates), Junior Caminero, Ketel Marte, and Brayan Bello (Red Sox). Israel had Spencer Horwitz (Blue Jays) and Ryan Prager (Guardians system). WBC performance does not affect dynamic pricing—AthX prices are driven by MLB performance—but a strong tournament can boost narrative and demand before Opening Day. Tatis's six-RBI day and the D.R.'s power surge are the kind of storylines that can sharpen interest in these names as the regular season approaches.
*Sources: MLB.com – Unbeaten DR thumps Israel to clinch spot in quarterfinals; official WBC Pool D results. Fact-checked March 9, 2026.*