MIAMI – if the outcome were a forego conclusion, why would they play the games?
Sure, Nicaragua had to qualify to get into the 2026 world, baseball classic, and on paper, the Dominican Republic has a lineup that could compete with any Major League Baseball team.
But for more than a brief moment on Friday night – for well over an hour – it certainly looked like Nicaragua could pull off a baseball equivalent of the miracle on ice, beating the vaunted Dominican Republic with a lineup comprised of players barely known outside of the Central America nation’s winter league, a few MLB prospects, and New York Mets third base Mark Vientos.
Ultimately, though, the Dominican Republic, as much a super team as the United States or Japan, hammered the Nicaragua bullpen for nine runs to take a 12-3 win in the World Baseball Classic opener for both teams.
Nicaragua made the best of some early luck, getting leadoff man Chase Dawson on base when Dominican catcher Austin Wells lost strike three. Dawson advanced on a single by Benjamin Alegria and then scored on a single by Ismael Munguia, giving them a 1-0 lead before Dominican starter Cristopher Sanchez could retire a batter.
The D.R. wasted no time, getting a leadoff single in the bottom of the first from Fernando Tatis Jr., who scored when Ketel Marte followed him with a double. Marte advanced to third when Juan Soto grounded out to second, then scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded out to short, giving the Dominican Republic a 2-1 lead.
But Nicaragua wasn’t fearful of Sanchez, the 29-year-old Philadelphia Phillies starter who had a 2.50 ERA last season, getting a leadoff single from Cristhian Sandoval to lead off the top of the second. Freddy Zamora followed with a double that scored Sandoval, and then Dawson singled home Zamora to give Nicaragua a 3-2 lead.
Nicaragua starter Ronald Medrano held the D.R. scoreless in the bottom of the second, but allowed a leadoff single to Juan Soto in the bottom of the third. Soto scored to tie the game at three on a single by Julio Rodriguez, and there the game stayed.
Through the fourth, Nicaragua’s Danilo Bermudez kept the Dominican bats quiet, and Stiven Cruz did the same in the fifth.
Eventually, though, Nicaragua’s bullpen car turned into a pumpkin. Cruz allowed a leadoff double to Manny Machado in the bottom of the sixth, and then Junior Caminero hit a two-run homer to center field that put the Dominican Republic ahead 5-3.
An inning later, a sacrifice fly by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. got Fernando Tatis Jr. home to make it 6-3.
In the eighth, the D.R. got a leadoff homer from Julio Rodriguez, and then with one out and runners on second and third, Oneil Cruz, on to pinch hit for Ketel Marte, hit a three-run homer to make it 10-3. An RBI double by Guerrero scored Junior Lake, and with two outs, Rodriguez picked up his second RBI of the inning, singling home Guerrero to make it 12-3.
With the win, the Dominican Republic will have a day off before taking a 1-0 record into Sunday’s early game against the Netherlands, who lost 6-2 to Venezuela on Friday afternoon. Nicaragua will face the Netherlands at noon tomorrow, with Major League Baseball veteran Erasmo Ramirez expected to start against Jaitone Kelly.
2026 World Baseball Classic Pool D Schedule
All times local
March 6
Venezuela 6, The Netherlands 2
Dominican Republic 12, Nicaragua 3
March 7
Noon EST – Nicaragua vs. The Netherlands – loanDepot Park – TV: Tubi
7 p.m. EST – Israel vs. Venezuela – loanDepot Park – TV: FS2
March 8
Noon EST – The Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic – loanDepot Park – TV: FOX
7 p.m. EST – Nicaragua vs. Israel – loanDepot Park – TV: Tubi
March 9
Noon EST – Dominican Republic vs. Israel – loanDepot Park – TV: FS1
7 p.m. EST – Venezuela vs. Nicaragua – loanDepot Park – TV: FS2
March 10
7 p.m. EST – Israel vs. The Netherlands – loanDepot Park – TV: FOX App
March 11
8 p.m. EST – Dominican Republic vs. Nicaragua – loanDepot Park – TV: FS1
Photo: Dominican Republic’s Manny Machado, left, and Junior Caminero, right, celebrate after scoring on a two run home run hit by Caminero during the sixth inning of a World Baseball Classic game, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
