MIAMI — The Dominican Republic baseball team delivered a stunning performance Friday night, securing their spot in the World Baseball Classic semifinals with a decisive 10-0 victory over South Korea that ended prematurely under the tournament’s mercy rule. The game concluded dramatically in the seventh inning when Austin Wells, a late-game defensive substitution, launched a walk-off three-run homer on the first pitch from South Korean pitcher Hyeong Jun So.
The Dominicans demonstrated complete dominance throughout the tournament, maintaining a perfect 5-0 record while showcasing exceptional offensive power. The team has outscored opponents by a remarkable 51-10 margin, batting an impressive .312 collectively. Their 14 home runs in the tournament equaled the single-event record set by Mexico in 2009.
Fernando Tatis Jr. continued his outstanding performance, driving in two runs during the game and bringing his tournament total to 11 RBIs. This places him tied for third in single-tournament RBI production, trailing only Japan’s Masataka Yoshida (13 in 2023) and the Netherlands’ Wladimir Balentien (12 in 2017).
Starting pitcher Christopher Sánchez set the tone with a dominant performance, striking out eight batters over five innings while allowing just two hits. The Dominican offense provided ample support with three runs in the second inning and four in the third, effectively putting the game out of reach early.
For South Korea, the loss marked another disappointing exit despite reaching the quarterfinals for the first time after three consecutive first-round eliminations. The team struggled offensively with just two hits in the game and finished the tournament with a .222 batting average and 5.91 ERA.
The Dominican Republic will face the winner of the United States-Canada matchup in Sunday’s semifinal, with Luis Severino scheduled to start on the mound as they pursue their second WBC title and first since 2013.