Dominican Republic's pitching follows team's hitting dominance in WBC shutout of Korea

Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald on Mar 13, 2026

Published in Baseball

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MIAMI — Nearly all the attention on the Dominican Republic so far in the World Baseball Classic understandably has been on its offense — a prolific collection of some of Major League Baseball’s top hitters that has mashed its way to utter dominance in the tournament.

But turn your attention to the pitcher’s mound on Friday night at Miami’s loanDepot park, and look at how the DR’s equally impressive collection of arms put on a performance to remember.

Christopher Sanchez led the way as the Dominican Republic held Korea to just two hits and four total baserunners in a 10-0, walk-off, seven-inning, mercy-rule, shutout win in a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal in front of an announced crowd of 30,805. Catcher Austin Wells ended the game with a three-run home run in the seventh, enacting the World Baseball Classic’s mercy rule which ends the game if a team is winning by 10 runs or more after the seventh inning.

The DR, a perfect 5-0 in the tournament, advances to the semifinals where it will face either the United States or Canada on Sunday at loanDepot park (8 p.m., FS1).

Sanchez dazzled over five innings, holding Korea to just two hits and a walk while striking out eight. He needed just 63 pitches to record his 15 outs, generating 18 whiffs on 31 swings, before giving way to the bullpen.

Albert Abreu then faced the minimum over two innings — tossing a perfect sixth inning and erasing a Manny Machado throwing error in the seventh with an inning-ending double play. He struck out three of the six batters he faced — to set up the potential for the mercy-rule win.

The Dominican Republic has allowed just 10 runs through five World Baseball Classic games, five of which came in its pool-play finale against Venezuela on Wednesday.

Now, the offense once again put on a show — albeit in a much quieter fashion than it showcased throughout pool play. There were no home runs until the very end after belting out 13 in its first four games, but a stream of big hits and timely walks gave the Dominican Republic provided more than enough firepower on Friday until Wells’ final blow.

Junior Caminero opened a three-run second inning with an RBI double that scored Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who made a leaping head-first dive to beat the tag of Korea catcher Dong Won Park. A Julio Rodriguez groundout scored Caminero. Fernando Tatis Jr. capped the frame with an RBI single that scored Agustin Ramirez, who had walked and moved to second on a Geraldo Perdomo single. That was enough to chase Hyun-jin Ryu, the 38-year-old and former 10-year MLB veteran.

The DR then tacked on four more runs in the third by teeing off against four Korea relief pitchers.

A Guerrero RBI double against Kyung-Eun Noh scored Juan Soto, who did a swim move at home plate to avoid a tag from Park. A Manny Machado single against Yeong Hyun Park then scored Guerrero.

Been Gawk then walked three consecutive Dominican batters — Perdomo, Tatis and Ketel Marte — with two outs, the final two of which came with the bases loaded to force in runs, before Dane Dunning ended the frame by getting Soto to line out to right field.

Wells, who replaced Ramirez at catcher in the sixth inning, then capped the game with a walk-off, three-run home run in the seventh inning.

The Dominican Republic moves on, now two wins away from a championship.