Team USA Survives 2-1 WBC Semifinal Thriller Over Dominican Republic on Controversial Final Strike

In a dramatic semifinal showdown at a sold-out LoanDepot Park in Miami, Team USA defeated the Dominican Republic 2-1 to advance to the World Baseball Classic championship game—though the final out left one dugout celebrating and the other in disbelief.

A Game for the Ages

The matchup lived up to the hype, featuring some of baseball's biggest stars on both sides. The two rosters combined for 25 players ranked in ESPN's Top 100, along with a staggering 56 All-Star appearances, five MVP awards, and reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes on the mound for Team USA.

Home Run Power on Display

The fireworks started early when the Dominican Republic's Junior Caminero launched a 401-foot blast off Skenes in the second inning—the team's record-setting 15th homer of the tournament. But Team USA answered back in the fourth with back-to-back shots from Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony, giving the Americans a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Defense Takes Center Stage

The game wasn't just about power—it was a defensive showcase:

Aaron Judge gunned down Fernando Tatis Jr. at third base to end a dangerous inning

Bobby Witt Jr. made a spectacular sliding play to retire Manny Machado

Julio Rodriguez robbed Judge himself with a leaping catch against the center-field wall—a play so impressive that even Judge tipped his cap

Dominant Pitching—and a Controversial Finish

After Skenes limited the Dominican Republic's explosive offense (which had scored 51 runs in their first five games) to just one run, the U.S. bullpen took over. David Bednar escaped a seventh-inning jam by striking out Tatis and Ketel Marte with runners in scoring position.

Then came closer Mason Miller in the ninth. With the potential tying run at third and two outs, shortstop Geraldo Perdomo battled to a full count over eight pitches, fouling off two 101+ mph heaters before unleashing a slider.

The pitch appeared to dive below the zone. Plate umpire Cory Blaser called it strike three. Game over.

Replays and broadcasts widely showed the pitch missing low, fueling immediate backlash online and in post-game analysis. Social media and broadcasters erupted, with analysts calling it "blatantly low" and fueling calls for tech intervention. While some viewed it as a borderline "fringe" pitch due to Miller's nasty movement, the consensus labeled it a missed call.

Perdomo didn't hold back: "One-hundred-percent a ball. It's all right. It's baseball."

Fernando Tatis Jr., one of the tournament's most dangerous hitters, stood on deck—never getting his chance.

Dominican manager Albert Pujols, ever the professional, chose not to dwell on the call. "I'm not going to focus on that last pitch," he said. "This has been a tremendous game between two tremendous teams. I feel incredibly grateful for the guys who represented us in this Classic."

The ABS Conversation

The controversial ending reignited discussion about the automated ball-strike system (ABS) set to debut in Major League Baseball during the 2026 season via a challenge system. So why wasn't it available for the World Baseball Classic?

According to league officials, some international ballparks hosting pool play don't yet have the technology to support it—the same reason the pitch clock wasn't used in the 2023 WBC.

Team USA manager Mark DeRosa acknowledged it simply: "I would assume it comes in next time."

The call has amplified demands for ABS in future WBCs to avoid such debates in high-stakes moments.

Looking Ahead (Updated)

Team USA will face Venezuela in Tuesday’s (March 17) World Baseball Classic championship game after Venezuela defeated Italy 4-2 on Monday night in Miami.

Venezuela’s win was defined by two things:

A three-run seventh inning that turned a one-run deficit into a lead, sparked by four straight singles and capped by Luis Arraez’s RBI single.

A bullpen rescue mission after starter Keider Montero exited after 1⅓ innings, forcing Venezuela’s relievers to record 23 outs. Six relievers combined to hold Italy scoreless the rest of the way, shutting down one of the tournament’s highest-scoring offenses.

The atmosphere also mattered. A sold-out crowd of 35,382 at loanDepot Park leaned heavily Venezuelan—flags, drums, and chants—making Miami feel like a home game and underscoring how much this run has meant to Venezuelans during a period of political upheaval.

As Bryce Harper put it after Team USA’s win: "That's two juggernauts going at it right there. I think fans in baseball all over the world watched this game tonight and had a blast."

For Team USA, the stage is set to chase another WBC title. For Venezuela, it’s a historic first: the country’s first-ever appearance in the World Baseball Classic final.

Key Stats

USA Bullpen: Scoreless after Skenes exited in the 5th

Dominican Offense: Limited to 1 run after averaging 10+ per game

Miller's 9th: 101+ mph heat, slider finish

Venezuela Bullpen vs. Italy: 23 outs after Montero’s early exit; Italy scoreless the rest of the way

Crowd: 35,382 in Miami for Venezuela vs. Italy semifinal