The first round of the World Baseball Classic begins March 5 and runs through March 17. With that, here are the top 10 first-round games in World Baseball Classic history.
No. 10 – Cuba vs. Panama (2006) – In the inaugural WBC, Cuba opened its 2006 slate in San Juan, Puerto Rico, against Panama, and it quickly became one of the best pool-play games in tournament history. Cuba carried a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning before Panama surged ahead on a three-run homer by Rubén Rivera to take a 4-2 lead.
Cuba answered in the seventh. Eduardo Paret lined an RBI single, and Yulieski Gurriel followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 4.
After the game remained tied through eight innings, Gurriel delivered again in the ninth, launching a two-run homer to left field to give Cuba a 6-4 advantage. Panama refused to go quietly. Olmedo Sáenz blooped an RBI single, and with two outs and the bases loaded, Earl Agnoly was hit by a pitch to tie the game at 6.
In the 11th inning, Yoandry Garlobo and Frederich Cepeda hit back-to-back RBI singles to put Cuba ahead 8-6. Yadel Martí entered in the bottom half and retired the side after a leadoff double, sealing the 8-6 victory in the first extra-innings game in WBC history.
No. 9 – United States vs. Canada (2009) – In 2009, Canada played in front of its home fans at Rogers Centre in Toronto for the only time in WBC history, and the atmosphere matched the moment.
Justin Morneau gave Canada an early lead with an RBI fielder’s choice in the first inning, but the United States responded on a Brian McCann sacrifice fly. In the third, Joey Votto energized the crowd with a home run to make it 2-1.
Kevin Youkilis tied it with a solo shot in the fourth, and McCann followed three batters later with a two-run homer to give the U.S. a 4-2 lead. After a wild pitch allowed Canada to pull within a run, Adam Dunn delivered a two-run homer in the sixth to extend the lead to 6-3.
Canada mounted a late rally. Russell Martin homered in the seventh, and Votto lined an RBI double in the ninth to cut it to 6-5 and bring the winning run to the plate. J.J. Putz retired Jason Bay on a fly ball to end it as the U.S. escaped with a narrow victory.
No. 8 – Italy vs. Mexico (2017) – Italy and Mexico traded early blows before delivering one of the wildest finishes in tournament history. After Mexico built a 9-5 lead entering the bottom of the ninth, it handed the ball to closer Roberto Osuna.
The inning unraveled quickly. Alex Liddi doubled home two runs after the first two batters reached base. Oliver Pérez entered but could not stop the momentum. Brandon Nimmo singled in a run, and John Andreoli followed with a two-run single to complete a stunning 10-9 walk-off win.
It marked the first time in WBC history that a team erased a deficit of three or more runs in the ninth inning.
No. 7 – Australia vs. South Korea (2023) – Australia entered as a heavy underdog but produced one of the defining upsets of the 2023 tournament. After building an 8-4 lead behind home runs from Robbie Glendinning and Robbie Perkins, Australia appeared in control.
South Korea rallied in the eighth inning, scoring three runs — aided by four consecutive walks — to cut the deficit to one. With the bases loaded, Sam Holland struck out Na Sung-bum to preserve the lead.
In the ninth, Perkins threw out Tommy Edman on a steal attempt to seal the 8-7 victory and the win ultimately sent Australia to the second round for the first time in program history.
No. 6 – Canada vs. United States (2006) – One of the tournament’s earliest shocks came when Canada defeated the United States 8-6. Canada jumped to an 8-0 lead by the fifth inning, highlighted by Adam Stern’s inside-the-park home run.
The United States responded with six runs in the fifth, including a grand slam by Jason Varitek, but Canada’s pitching staff held firm over the final four innings to secure the upset.
No. 5 – South Korea vs. Japan (2006) – At the Tokyo Dome, Japan took an early 2-0 lead on a Munenori Kawasaki solo homer and an RBI single. South Korea chipped away and trailed 2-1 entering the eighth inning.
Lee Seung-yuop changed the game with a two-run homer, giving South Korea a 3-2 lead. The pitching staff closed the door, retiring 18 of the final 21 batters and allowing no hits over the final six-plus innings.
No. 4 – Venezuela vs. Italy (2017) – In a back-and-forth thriller in Mexico, Italy built a 5-0 lead before Venezuela stormed back with eight unanswered runs. Italy tied it again in the eighth inning on a John Andreoli single.
Salvador Pérez homered in the ninth to restore Venezuela’s lead, but Italy answered once more. Gavin Cecchini delivered a game-tying hit with two outs, though Drew Butera was thrown out at the plate to send the game to extra innings.
In the 10th, Martín Prado’s RBI double gave Venezuela an 11-10 lead, and it held on to complete one of the most dramatic games in first-round history.
No. 3 – Dominican Republic vs. Colombia (2017) – The Dominican Republic entered as a heavy favorite but was pushed to the brink by Colombia. After trailing 3-1, Colombia tied the game in the eighth on a solo homer by Jorge Alfaro.
In the ninth, Colombia put the potential winning run 90 feet from home plate, but José Bautista threw out Óscar Mercado at the plate to preserve the tie.
The Dominican Republic broke through in the 11th inning. Wellington Castillo delivered a two-run single, and Jean Segura followed with a three-run double as the Dominicans pulled away for a 10-3 victory.
No. 2 – Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic (2009) – In perhaps the tournament’s most famous upset, the Netherlands stunned the Dominican Republic. The Dominicans were held scoreless through 10 innings before José Bautista tripled home a run in the 11th.
The Dutch answered immediately. Eugene Kingsale tied it with an RBI single, and with two outs, Yurendell de Caster hit a ground ball that first baseman Willy Aybar misplayed, allowing the winning run to score in a 2-1 walk-off victory that sent shockwaves through the tournament.
No. 1 – United States vs. Dominican Republic (2017) – The first first-round meeting between the United States and Dominican Republic delivered on its billing. The U.S. built a 5-0 lead behind key hits from Christian Yelich, Brandon Crawford and Giancarlo Stanton.
With pitch limits forcing Marcus Stroman from the game early, the Dominican lineup rallied. Manny Machado homered, Carlos Santana added an RBI single, and Wellington Castillo doubled home a run to cut the deficit to 5-3.
In the eighth inning, Andrew Miller entered in relief. Nelson Cruz crushed a two-run homer just inside the foul pole to give the Dominican Republic a 6-5 lead, and Starling Marte followed with a solo shot to make it 7-5.
Jeurys Familia closed it out in the ninth, completing one of the most electric first-round games in World Baseball Classic history.
Photo: Robbie Perkins celebrates hitting three run homer for Australia against South Korea on March 9th, 2023(AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)
