MIAMI – The flight from Asia to Miami isn’t a short one.
The average flight from Tokyo, where South Korea’s World Baseball Classic entry played their pool play games, to Miami is anywhere from 13-15 hours, and Korea will get to make the flight again just days after coming to Miami, having been eliminated by the merciless bats of the Dominican Republic in a 10-0, seven-inning drubbing in the quarterfinals. The win gave the D.R. a 5-0 record, and they’ve scored 51 runs, the most in the tournament, 11 ahead of the United States, which has 40 and will be their opponent in the semifinal on Sunday at 8 p.m.
“Our job is to win every single game no matter the team we face, and to prepare the guys,” Dominican manager Albert Pujols said following the game. “My message to my team, to my staff is that we have a mission that is to win a championship, and this is our goal. Our concern is not what the other teams are doing. In the days off, we prepare ourselves. We train for the next game.”
Overmatched, Korea changed pitchers to try to knock the Dominican batters off balance, using nine pitchers over 6 1/3 innings, with the staff allowing 10 runs on nine hits and six hits.
Facing Korea starter Hyun Jin Ryu, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led off the bottom of the second against his former teammate with a walk, and then a double by Junior Caminero scored Guerrero for a 1-0 Dominican lead, with Guerrero making a brilliant slide to get around the tag of Korea catcher Dong Won Park. Agustin Ramirez drew a walk batting in the eighth hole, then advanced the second on a single by Gerardo Perdomo. He and Caminero scored on a single by Fernando Tatís Jr. to give the Dominicans a 3-0 lead and chase Ryu from the game after just 1 ⅓ innings.
An inning later, the Dominicans sent 10 batters to the plate, shredding the Korea bullpen for four runs on four hits. Soto led off with a double and scored on a single by Machado, as once again, Korea catcher Park couldn’t defend against a twisting slide, as Soto got a hand on the plate before he could apply the tag despite the throw beating the runner to the plate.
Despite trailing 7-0, Korea managed to quiet the Dominican bats, retiring the side in order for the next three innings. But ultimately, the buzzsaw that is the Dominican lineup couldn’t be stopped for long. In the seventh, Manny Machado reached on a one-out single, and Julio Rodriguez beat out a double-play relay throw to reach on a fielder’s choice and give the D.R. runners at the corners with two outs.
Up came New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells who wasted no time, launching the first pitch he saw from Korea reliever Hyeong Jun So off the facade of the upper deck in right field for a three-run homer, ending the game under the WBC’s early termination rule as a 10-0 Dominican victory. The homer gave the D.R. 15 homers in the tournament, the most homers by a team in WBC history, passing the 2009 Mexico team as many as two games remaining to extend the record.
On the mound, Dominican starter Cristopher Sanchez cruised through five innings, striking out eight and allowing two hits and a walk with just 62 pitches before handing the ball off to Albert Abreu, who was perfect over the final two innings.
“Cristopher did a great job. He pitched five innings. He threw 62 or 63 pitches, so below the 55 he was supposed to pitch. He did a great job. We’re very happy about that,” Pujols said. “And then we called the bullpen. Abreu did a great job. I wanted to give him more innings to other pitchers, but I am not going to complain the way we won the game.”
With the win, the D.R. advances to Sunday’s semifinal, where they’ll face the United States. Luis Severino will start for the Dominican Republic against Paul Skenes for the United States.
“We just have to win two games yet to win this tournament, and this is our goal, one game at a time. And we hope to make it to the final and win that game as well,” Pujols said. “My goal is to continue to prepare these guys, really, to win game by game like we have. I think we are close to accomplish what we want, which is winning the tournament. But we are two games away, and we are going to take it one game at a time, how we’re doing.”
NOTEBOOK – Following the game, Hyun-jin Ryu announced he would retire from the South Korea national team.
Quartfinal Schedule
All times Eastern Daylight Time
Friday, March 13
Dominican Republic 10, South Korea 0 (Seven Innings)
United States 5, Canada 3
Saturday, March 14
3 p.m. – Puerto Rico vs. Italy – Daikin Park – TV: FS1
9 p.m. – Venezuela vs. Japan – loanDepot Park – TV: FOX
Photo: Austin Wells (28), center, gets doused as he celebrates with teammates after hitting a three-run home run to end the game early in the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against South Korea, Friday, March 13, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
