Takeaways from Team USA’s WBC win over Dominican Republic
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The first World Baseball Classic semifinal is in the books with Team USA edging the Dominican Republic, 2-1, in the matchup many had been dreaming about from the start of the WBC.
A strong outing from ace Paul Skenes, clutch home runs from Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony and a slew of stellar defensive plays and gutsy relief moments pushed the United States on to Tuesday’s championship game, where the winner of Monday’s Venezuela-Italy clash will await.
How did the U.S. get it done? Here are our takeaways and updates from a thrilling night of baseball in Miami.
Takeaways
Paul Skenes really is that guy. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner wasn’t exactly dominant. Junior Caminero crushed a 1-2 slider to open the scoring in the second inning with his third home run of the tournament. He escaped a bases loaded jam in the fourth. He exited the game with two runners on base in the fifth. But he held the powerful Dominican lineup — arguably the best one ever assembled — to one run over 4 ⅓ innings in front of a very pro-Dominican crowd. It was Skenes’ most important start since turning professional and he met the moment. — Jorge Castillo
In a game of star pitchers and elite hitters, it was the defense that stood out. Julio Rodriguez took a 98 mph fastball to his right hand, then went back out to center field and robbed Aaron Judge of a potential home run. Judge himself threw out Fernando Tatis Jr. trying to go first to third on a single, ending an inning with Juan Soto next to bat. And Bobby Witt Jr. went deep into the hole to field a grounder from Manny Machado and throw him out at first base, one of several spectacular defensive plays turned in by the young Kansas City Royals shortstop in this tournament. In a game like this, with the rosters so closely matched and the fans so amped, that type of defense made all the difference. — Alden Gonzalez
That was a wonderful baseball game. Tension. Drama. Passion. Pride. Everything baseball can be. Everything you want baseball to be. So for it to end on a called strike three by home plate umpire Cory Blaser on a Mason Miller slider that was clearly below the zone was such a gut punch, not just to a Dominican Republic team whose country cares more about the WBC than any but to a game that deserved better. ABS cannot come soon enough, because this should be about the quality of the game – which was tremendous – and not the bitter taste left due to human fallibility. — Jeff Passan
