MIAMI — Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony each hit solo home runs in the fourth inning and Team USA’s pitching kept the mighty Dominican Republic lineup in check enough to secure a 2-1 victory in a World Baseball Classic semifinal on Sunday night.
“That was high-level baseball at its finest,” USA manager Mark DeRosa said. “Just a game that we’ll remember forever. It was three solo shots that decided the game.”
The United States advanced to its third WBC final in a row and will try to win its second Classic championship and first since 2017 when it takes on the winner of the Venezuela-Italy semifinal on Tuesday night in Miami. Venezuela and Italy play their semifinal game on Monday night in Miami. DeRosa confirmed that right-hander Nolan McLean will start Tuesday’s final.
The Dominican Republic fell short in its bid to win its second WBC title and what would have been its first since 2013.
“It’s a bitter drink but we knew that someone would be happy and the other side would be sad,” Dominican Republic manager Albert Pujols said. “We have to keep our heads up because we did a tremendous job.”
A lineup, which came in averaging 10.2 runs per game in the tournament, was held to just Junior Caminero’s two-out solo home run over the left field wall on an 1-2 count in the bottom of the second inning off USA starter Paul Skenes (2-0), the reigning National League Cy Young winner.
Caminero’s homer was his third of the Classic and 15th for the Dominican Republic, breaking the record for most home runs in a single WBC.
“The DR is the toughest lineup I’ve ever faced, that’s for sure,” said Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates ace. “I think they would say the same thing about us.”
USA closer Mason Miller struck out Caminero to open the bottom of the ninth, then walked Julio Rodriguez, who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Rodriguez moved to third on a groundout by pinch hitter Oneil Cruz. But Miller struck out Geraldo Perdomo looking to end the game and pick up his second save of the WBC.
“I don’t want to focus on the last pitch. Obviously, it didn’t go our way,” Pujols said. “Disappointed about the way the game ended, but I don’t want to criticize. It just wasn’t meant to be for us.”
Miller said: “When you go into a game with a lineup of guys that are staples in the middle of every order around the league and some of the best players in that game, you’ve got to be at your best.”
Dominican starter Luis Severino pitched 3 1/3 innings and allowed the tying home run by Henderson to lead off the top of the fourth. Severino gave up five hits but struck out six and did not issue a walk.
Anthony then gave the U.S. a 2-1 lead when he blasted a solo homer 421 feet to right center off reliever Gregory Soto (0-1). Anthony, who grew up in South Florida, played his first game at loanDepot park as a pro and first since 2018 when he played there with his high school, Majory Stoneman Douglas High from nearby Parkland, Fla.
“For me, I was here the last time around watching the championship game heading into my first spring training and heading into my first full year of minor league baseball, so it’s a bit of a full-circle moment,” Anthony said. “It was a dream of mine since as long as I can remember. … Just being around these guys and competing with these guys, day in and day out. It’s unbelievable.”
USA’s bullpen allowed only two hits over 4 2/3 shutout innings.
Aaron Judge helped keep the Dominican Republic from adding to its lead in the third when the right fielder threw out Fernando Tatis Jr. at third base trying to advance on Ketel Marte’s single.
Skenes ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth when he gave up a double to Vlad Guerrero Jr., and an infield single to Manny Machado. After a fielder’s choice out at second, Skenes hit Rodriguez with a pitch to load the bases. But Skenes got Austin Wells to fly out to left to end the threat.
Skenes lasted 4 1/3 innings, struck out two, walked none and allowed six hits overall.
“It makes it a lot easier to be a starting pitcher when you can get to the fifth inning — and that’s the nature of this tournament,” Skenes said. “The innings are limited for starting pitchers — and you can hand the ball off pretty confidently that the bullpen is going to get the job done. They’ve done a great job.”
Tatis Jr. and Marte knocked Skenes out of the game after hitting consecutive singles in the fifth with one out. Tyler Rogers replaced Skenes and induced Juan Soto to ground into an inning-ending double play.
