WBC 2026: Puerto Rico Stifles Cuba 4-1, Clinches Quarters in Front of Home Fans

Ask any baseball fan in Puerto Rico and they'll tell you about the 2006 World Baseball Classic game against Cuba: a crushing 4-3 loss, the loudest they'd ever heard Hiram Bithorn Stadium, and 20 years of waiting for another shot. On Monday night, March 9, 2026, they finally got some. In a matchup of unbeatens in Pool A, Team Puerto Rico beat Team Cuba 4-1 at Hiram Bithorn in San Juan, clinching Puerto Rico's spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. With the victory, Puerto Rico improved to 3-0 and Cuba dropped to 2-1, still in position to advance with a win over Canada on Wednesday (3 p.m. ET, FS2). Pool A's top two teams will play in Houston against the Pool B advancers.

Fans had to wait through a long rain delay at the start—more than an hour—but no delay could cool the passion at Hiram Bithorn. Team Puerto Rico loaded the bases in the second with one out. Up came Martín Maldonado, 39, the pride of Naguabo and the longtime catcher who had delivered a big pinch-hit single in Saturday's comeback against Panama. On the very first pitch he delivered: a two-run double down the left-field line that cleared the bases and gave Puerto Rico a 3-0 lead. Maldonado said: "Understand that we need to give credit to the batters before me who had good at-bats and they were able to run the bases. I was able to get the hit. MJ [Melendez], who was walked, he had a tough at-bat. What we wanted was not to do too much and pass the baton to the next guy." That was almost all the run support Puerto Rico would need.

Elmer Rodriguez, the Yankees' No. 3 prospect, answered the call in his start—three scoreless innings with three strikeouts. A string of four Puerto Rico relievers gave up just an unearned run over the next six frames. That run came on an Alfredo Despaigne double when Heliot Ramos made a bad throw from center; Despaigne is now second all-time in WBC extra-base hits with 12. Puerto Rico added another run on Carlos Cortes' sacrifice fly in the fifth. Then Edwin Díaz retired the side in order in the ninth, fittingly striking out Alexei Ramirez—44 years old, the oldest player ever to appear in a WBC game, and on the 2006 Cuba team that had beaten Puerto Rico. Revenge, indeed. Díaz said: "I feel really proud because it's my first time playing back home. We know we have a really good team. We play really good defense. So I feel really good. I feel happy to be here for the first time."

Manager Yadier Molina said: "As a young team, these players don't take anything for granted. They love to learn every day. We have some veterans, and they care about the young guys. They're good listeners, they play hard, and I trust them." Puerto Rico faces Canada Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET (Tubi); a win would clinch the No. 1 seed from Pool A.

Pool A standings (through March 9, 2026)

*Source: ESPN WBC standings.*

Names to watch for AthX

Puerto Rico features Edwin Díaz (Mets), Martín Maldonado, Elmer Rodriguez (Yankees), Heliot Ramos, and Carlos Cortes. Cuba has Alfredo Despaigne, Alexei Ramirez, and Yariel Rodriguez (Blue Jays). 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.

*Sources: MLB.com – Puerto Rico stifles Cuba, celebrates return to quarters in front of home fans; ESPN – Puerto Rico 4-1 Cuba play-by-play; ESPN WBC standings. Fact-checked March 9, 2026.*