In a battle of unbeaten baseball powerhouses, the Dominican Republic remained an indomitable force in this World Baseball Classic.
The Dominicans claimed the Pool D championship March 11 with a power-packed 7-5 victory over Venezuela at Miami’s loanDepot Park, with every run coming courtesy of the home run and their closer providing a dash of ninth-inning drama they managed to navigate before an amped, bipartisan crowd of 36,230.
Juan Soto, Ketel Marte, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. all hit home runs to complete the Dominicans’ dominant run through pool play, during which they outscored opponents 41-10.
The Dominican Republic advances to face Korea in the quarterfinals March 13 in Miami. And while both teams were assured of advancing before their showdown, the Dominicans’ victory is still a big one: Venezuela must face defending champion Japan in its quarterfinal match at loanDepot Park.
It was a rousing and needed run through pool play for the Dominican Republic, which lost to Venezuela and failed to advance out of the preliminary round in 2023. This time, they simply bullied opponents with the home run ball and stout relief pitching.
The first seven batters in the Dominican lineup all had OPSes between .859 (Manny Machado) and 1.583 (Guerrero, who had three hits against Venezuela).
And on the mound, Huascar Brazobán, Juan Mejia, Seranthony Domínguez, Dennis Santana and Camilo Doval combined to shut out Venezuela from the fourth through eighth innings on just two hits. Abner Uribe walked the bases loaded in the ninth, prompting manager Albert Pujols to insert Elvis Alvarado with the tying run at the plate.
Alvarado gave up a sacrifice fly to Luis Arráez to make it 7-4 and then the Athletics right-hander threw the ball into center field on a comebacker from Willson Contreras that could’ve been a game-ending double play. It was 7-5 with the tying run at first, but Alvarado got Salvador Perez on a double play to end it.
The celebration was worthy of a pool-play championship. And the knockout rounds also might not be able to handle the power the Dominicans are packing.
USA TODAY Sports provided live updates throughout the game:
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Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela highlights
Dominican bullpen posts three scoreless innings, takes 7-3 lead into seventh
It’s not just the homer-happy lineup that has the Dominican Republic poised for a Pool D championship. The run-preventing relievers have a pretty big hand in it, too.
Huascar Brazoban, Juan Mejia and Seranthony Dominguez posted scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and one walk, to carry the Domincan through the fourth, fifth and sixth and into the late innings with its 7-3 lead over Venezuela intact.
The trio showed their major league chops – Brazoban is a Met, Mejia a Rockie and Dominguez the newly-signed closer for the Chicago White Sox – in quelling the equally potent Venezuela lineup. They also picked up for starter Sandy Alcantara, who gave up three runs in three innings on 44 pitches.
Fernando Tatis Jr. three-run homer busts it open for Dominican
The clouts are only getting mightier for the Dominican Republic.
Fernando Tatis Jr. ripped a two-out, three-run homer with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, extending the Dominican’s lead to 7-3 over Venezuela – with all the runs coming on home runs.
Tatis joined Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in hitting his second homer in four games of this WBC, and Ketel Marte and Juan Soto also went deep. Yet this rally also revealed the great depth of the Dominican lineup.
Venezuela reliever Antonio Senzatela looked primed for a 1-2-3 inning. Then, he walked No. 8 hitter Austin Wells. Geraldo Perdomo, the great Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop, then followed with a single up the middle, turning the lineup over for Tatis.
He did not miss, crushing a Senzatela slider 394 feet over the Venezuela bullpen in left field, punctuating it with a bat flip on his follow-through and the de rigueuer giddy trip around the bases.
Venezuela scores two more, narrows Dominican lead to 4-3
If the Dominican Republic is owning the air above loanDepot Park’s playing surface, Venezuela will simply stick to the ground game.
Venezuela got RBI doubles from Maikel Garcia and Luis Arráez as it trimmed the Dominican Republic’s lead to 4-3 after three innings.
Naturally, the rally was started by Ronald Acuña Jr., who drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on Garcia’s double. By inning’s end, Dominican starter Sandy Alcantara’s pitch count hit 44, and he’s likely done for the night.
Antonio Senzatela has come on in relief for Venezuela in the top of the fourth.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. rockets a third homer for 4-1 Dominican lead
All they do is hit home runs.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit the third home run in as many innings for the Dominican Republic, clouting an Eduard Bazardo sweeper into the glum Venezuela bullpen in left field to give the visitors a 4-1 lead heading to the bottom of the third inning in Miami.
It was Guerrero’s second home run of this WBC and it came one out after Ketel Marte extended the lead on his own solo shot. Juan Soto got the party going early with a two-run, first-inning homer.
Ketel Marte jumps on home run train for 3-1 Dominican lead
Eduardo Rodriguez has been chased from the game, and another man has donned the Dominican Republic’s home run jacket.
Ketel Marte drove a Rodriguez sinker 403 feet out to left field and into a throng of giddy fans as the Dominican Republic took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning at Miami.
All three home runs, per the modern Dominican WBC custom, have come via the long ball. Rodriguez stayed in for one more batter to strike out Juan Soto – he homered early – and was lifted for Eduard Bazardo.
Venezuela gets one back immediately, trails 2-1
Hold off on the all-night party at loanDepot Park for the Dominican Republic.
Though not as gaudy as Juan Soto’s 409-foot home run, the Venezuelans nonetheless cut their deficit in half on a walk and two singles, the latter by Willson Contreras off Dominican starter Sandy Alcantara to score Maikel Garcia and make it a 2-1 game.
Alcantara finished the first inning with 19 pitches.
Juan Soto jumps on Venezuela for two-run homer
Yes, the Dominican lineup is as impossible to pitch to as it seems. Eduardo Rodriguez found that out immediately.
On just his 13th pitch, $765 million man Juan Soto smoked a 409-foot, two-run homer to near dead center field, giving the Dominican Republic an instant 2-0 lead. Soto’s homer followed Ketel Marte’s single to right.
It was Soto’s second home run of this WBC. Can Ronald Acuña Jr. answer? Stay tuned.
How to watch Dominican Republic vs Venezuela baseball
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV channel: Tubi
Live stream: Fubo
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Dominican Republic lineup
Starting pitcher: RHP Sandy Alcantara
RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
2B Ketel Marte
LF Juan Soto
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
3B Manny Machado
DH Junior Caminero
CF Julio Rodriguez
C Austin Wells
SS Geraldo Perdomo
Venezuela lineup tonight
Starting pitcher: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez
RF Ronald Acuña Jr.
3B Maikel Garcia
2B Luis Arráez
1B Willson Contreras
DH Salvador Perez
C William Contreras
LF Wilyer Abreu
SS Ezequiel Tovar
CF Jackson Chourio
WBC Pool D standings
Dominican Republic: 3-0
Venezuela: 3-0
Israel: 2-2
Netherlands: 1-3
Nicaragua: 0-4