Fernando Tatis Jr. delivered a massive grand slam and Oneil Cruz added another home run as the Dominican Republic dominated Israel 10-1 in World Baseball Classic Pool D action Monday in Miami.
The Dominican squad improved to 3-0 and stays on track for a showdown with Venezuela to determine Pool D’s top seed. Venezuela also stands at 3-0 after shutting out Nicaragua 4-0 Monday night. Both nations have locked up spots in the quarterfinal round.
Following Geraldo Perdomo’s bases-loaded walk that put the first run on the board, Tatis launched a 1-2 offering 400 feet over the left field wall for his tournament debut homer. The superstar added a two-run base hit in the seventh inning, while Erik Gonzalez contributed an RBI triple in the ninth. Gonzalez stepped in as an injury substitute for Houston’s Jeremy Pena.
Starting pitcher Brayan Bello recorded seven strikeouts across five innings of work. Israel’s sole tally came via Spencer Horwitz’s solo blast, as the Israeli squad managed just two hits total and fell to 1-2.
In other World Baseball Classic action Monday:
South Korea 7, Australia 2
Bo Gyeong Moon nearly hit for the cycle and propelled South Korea into the knockout rounds with a decisive Pool C victory over Australia in Tokyo. South Korea finished tied with Australia and Taiwan at 2-2 but advanced due to allowing the fewest runs per defensive out among the three teams. Hyun Min Ahn’s crucial sacrifice fly in the ninth provided the five-run cushion needed for the tiebreaker advantage.
Moon connected for a two-run blast in the second, drove in another with a double in the third, and added an RBI single in the fifth. He now paces the tournament with 11 RBIs. Australia got home runs from Robbie Glendinning and an RBI single from Travis Bazzana.
Colombia 4, Panama 3
Colombia erupted for all four runs in the sixth inning before holding off Panama’s late rally in Pool A action in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Jordan Diaz started the scoring with a sacrifice fly, Reynaldo Rodriguez plated two with a single to left, and Daniel Vellojin capped the rally with an RBI single for Colombia (1-3). Neither team will reach the elimination rounds.
Panama (1-3) got a solo homer from Jose Caballero and RBI singles from Jose Ramos and Christian Bethancourt in the eighth, but Pedro Garcia secured a four-out save for Colombia.
Great Britain 8, Brazil 1
Ian Lewis Jr. went deep and Jazz Chisholm Jr. drove in three runs as Great Britain prevented a winless tournament by defeating Brazil in Pool B play in Houston. Chisholm and Matt Koperniak each collected two hits, while starter Brendan Beck fired four hitless innings for Great Britain (1-3).
Brazil’s only offense came on Gabriel do Carmo’s RBI double, finishing 0-4 in the tournament. Neither squad advances to the next round.
Venezuela 4, Nicaragua 0
Ronald Acuna Jr. went 3-for-3 with a solo home run, RBI single and stolen base as Venezuela (3-0) clinched a quarterfinal berth by blanking Nicaragua (0-4) in Pool D play at Miami. Jackson Chourio opened the scoring with a first-inning sacrifice fly and Wilyer Abreu added another sac fly in the sixth. Seven Venezuelan pitchers combined for the shutout, starting with two innings from Yoendrys Gomez followed by three from Keider Montero.
Puerto Rico 4, Cuba 1
Martin Maldonado’s three-run double in the second inning powered Puerto Rico past Cuba in San Juan, improving the hosts to 3-0 in Pool A and securing a quarterfinal spot. Heliot Ramos doubled and scored on Carlos Cortes’ fifth-inning sacrifice fly for Puerto Rico. Starter Elmer Rodriguez threw three scoreless frames, and Edwin Diaz struck out the final two batters for the save.
Cuba’s only run in the sixth was unearned, as Ariel Martinez scored from first on Alfredo Despaigne’s double when center fielder Ramos committed a throwing error. Cuban starter Julio Robaina allowed three runs while recording just four outs.
