Dominican Republic routs South Korea 10-0 in WBC quarterfinals

World Baseball Classic Quarterfinals Deliver Drama as Dominican Republic Dominates South Korea

The knockout stage of the 2026 World Baseball Classic opened Friday night with a lopsided affair in Miami and a highly anticipated clash in Houston, as eight nations began the fight for a spot in the semifinals.

Dominican Republic Rolls to 10-0 Run-Rule Victory

The Dominican Republic extended its dominant tournament run by dismantling South Korea 10-0 at loanDepot Park in Miami, ending the game in the seventh inning via the run-rule. Cristopher Sánchez, the 2025 National League Cy Young runner-up, struck out eight over five innings for the Dominicans after a shaky pool play debut. Junior Caminero, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado all drove in runs during early rallies that built a commanding lead. Austin Wells delivered the final blow with a three-run home run in the seventh inning.bleacherreport

Six of the nine Dominican starters recorded a hit, with Machado and Julio Rodríguez each collecting two. The win pushed the Dominican Republic to 5-0 in the tournament after sweeping Pool D with victories over Nicaragua, the Netherlands, Israel, and Venezuela. The team has now slugged 13 home runs in the tournament, one shy of the all-time WBC record set by Mexico in 2009, according to MLB.com.yahoo

South Korea, making its first quarterfinal appearance since 2009, had barely squeaked through Pool C on a three-way tiebreaker with Australia and Chinese Taipei.mlb

Team USA Faces Canada in Houston

Later Friday, Team USA took on Canada at Daikin Park in Houston before an expected crowd nearing the stadium’s 41,000-seat capacity. The Americans entered the quarterfinals after a tense path through Pool B, where an 8-6 upset loss to Italy left them needing the Italians to beat Mexico to avoid elimination. Italy obliged with a 9-1 rout, sending Team USA through with a 3-1 record.mlb

Canada, making its first-ever WBC quarterfinal appearance, finished atop Pool A at 3-1 after topping Puerto Rico in San Juan and closing with a 7-2 win over Cuba. Outfielder Owen Caissie and infielder Abraham Toro have powered the Canadian offense, each hitting a homer and three doubles during pool play.bleacherreport

Saturday’s Matchups and Japan’s Plans

The quarterfinals continue Saturday with Italy facing Puerto Rico at 3 p.m. ET at Daikin Park, followed by Japan versus Venezuela at 9 p.m. ET at loanDepot Park. Italy, the surprise Pool B winner at 4-0 behind Vinnie Pasquantino’s record three-homer game against Mexico, will face a Puerto Rico pitching staff that posted a tournament-best 1.22 ERA in pool play. Los Angeles Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto is set to start Saturday’s quarterfinal for Japan against Venezuela, though it will be his final pitching appearance of the tournament. According to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Yamamoto will remain with Team Japan until the country is eliminated.yardbarker