Brazil Defeats China 12-2 in Seven-Inning Mercy Rule Win at WBC Qualifiers in Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. – Brazil secured a 12-2 victory in seven innings over China at the WBC qualifiers in Tucson, winning via the mercy rule at Kino Sports Complex’s Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. The game was played under a 57-degree haze with the North Catalina Mountains in the background. Brazil took control immediately, scoring six runs in the first inning and forcing an early pitching change.

On the final day of pool play, Brazil improved to 2-1 and will play on Thursday night in Tucson, just one win away from qualifying for the 2026 WBC. China dropped to 0-3 and is officially eliminated from the 2026 WBC, marking the first time it will not appear in the tournament.

The last time China played Brazil in the WBC was in 2013, when China won 5-2 in Pool A at the Mizuho PayPay Dome in Fukuoka, Japan. That tournament also marked Brazil’s only appearance in the WBC.

China struggled defensively throughout the qualifiers, committing two errors on Tuesday and a total of nine across three losses.

“Today we started with a very focused approach to the game, and it is a close group that plays hard together. We are going to study our opponent now for the second and third place game on Thursday and hope to come out on top to qualify for the 2026 WBC,” Brazil manager Daniel Yuichi Matsumoto said during the postgame.

Lucas Ramirez, son of two-time World Series champion Manny Ramirez, was given the day off in Tuesday’s win to allow other players to get reps.

“Ramirez wasn’t in his best condition today, and Victor Mascai, who started in right field, did a very good job. I thought the decision was good overall to have him rest,” Matsumoto said.

Brazil’s Six-Run First Inning Sets the Tone

Brazil struck first when Leonardo Reginatto lined an RBI single to left, scoring Gabriel Gomez for a 1-0 lead. Lucas Rojo followed with a single to left, bringing in Osvaldo Carvalho to make it 2-0. With the bases loaded, Victor Mascai drew a walk, forcing in Reginatto for a 3-0 lead.

That prompted China manager Wei Li to remove starting pitcher Wang Xiang, who did not record an out and allowed three hits six earned runs and three walks on 25 pitches.

Reliever Xudi Suo entered but could not stop the rally. Gabriel Carmo hit a single into left field, scoring Dante Bichette Jr. and Rojo, extending the lead to 5-0.

Team Brazil's bats are hot in the 1st ????

They lead 5-0 before recording an out! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/kLF1Vthzz7

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 4, 2025

Next, Gabriel Maciel lifted a sacrifice fly to center, bringing in Mascai to cap a six-run first inning.

China Briefly Responds, but Brazil Stays in Control

China got on the board in the second inning when Pedro Lemos was called for a balk, allowing Shuai Wang to score from third, making it 6-1. Brazil answered in the bottom half when Mascai delivered a single to center field, scoring Bichette and Rojo, extending the lead to 8-1.

Victor Mascai has 3 RBI today and Team Brazil extends its lead over Team China.#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/ajWCo1y4sh

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 4, 2025

Brazil added more in the third inning when Carvalho drove a ground-rule double over the right field wall, scoring shortstop Vito Ito to push the lead to 9-1. Later in the inning, Dante Bichette Jr. reached on an error by China second baseman Tianyuan Hu, who misplayed a pop-up in shallow right-center field. The mistake allowed Carvalho to score, making it 10-1.

Brazil added another run when Rojo lined a ground ball single up the middle, scoring Reginatto for an 11-1 lead.

China scored its final run in the fifth when Tianyuan Hu hit a fly ball single to center, bringing in Ning Li to cut the deficit to 11-2.

In the seventh, Brazil ended the game via the mercy rule when Ito grounded a single to right field, scoring Tiago Nishiyama and securing a 12-2 win in seven innings.

Brazil’s Pitching Silences China’s Offense

Brazil’s pitching staff dominated, with Pedro Lemos starting and working 2.1 innings. He allowed one hit one earned run and two walks, while striking out three. Relievers Heitor Tokar, Joao Gabriel Marostica, and Marcelo Young combined for 4.2 innings, allowing only three hits one earned run and two walks, while striking out four.

China’s pitching staff struggled, working 6.2 innings while allowing 15 hits, seven earned runs seven walks, and recording four strikeouts. Wang Xiang’s early struggles put China behind immediately, and the bullpen was unable to contain Brazil’s offense.

Brazil entered the game with a 5.29 ERA in the WBC qualifiers, having faced Colombia and Germany in its first two matchups. The team had two holds and one save, allowing 17 hits, 10 earned runs, and 18 walks over 17 innings.

China’s pitching staff entered the game with a 9.77 ERA, allowing 19 hits, 17 earned runs, and five hit batters in 15.2 innings.

Brazil and China’s WBC History and International Baseball Outlook

Brazil and China have taken different paths in international baseball but share a common challenge in reaching the next level on the global stage.

Brazil has a strong South American baseball history, winning eight South American Championship gold medals—one more than Argentina—but finishing runner-up in 2024 after a 2-1 loss in Lima Peru. The team also reached the 2023 Pan American Games final, falling 9-1 to Colombia in Santiago Chile. Brazil’s only WBC appearance came in 2013, when it qualified by going 3-0 in the 2012 WBC qualifiers. Under Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, Brazil went 0-3 in Pool A with losses to Japan, China and Cuba. The team failed to qualify in 2016 and 2022, falling to Israel Great Britain and Nicaragua. For more on Brazil’s WBC history, visit World Baseball Network’s coverage of Brazil at the WBC Qualifiers, and for details on the team’s 2025 WBC qualifiers roster, check out Brazil’s official roster announcement.

“Since 2022, when we did not qualify for the 2023 WBC, we probably had a few opportunities to cash in on qualifying in Panama City, Panama at Estadio Rod Carew and it still hurts today. But we’re very focused coming into Thursday’s game with the core of guys we have to make it into the 2026 tournament,” Rojo said during the post game.

China has played in all five WBC tournaments but has never advanced past the first round. The team’s only WBC win since 2009 came against Brazil in 2013, but China went winless in both 2017 and 2023. Outside the WBC, China has earned gold at the 2002 Asia Baseball Cup and bronze at the Asian Baseball Championship in 2005 and 2019. The team has finished fourth at every Asian Games since 1994, but in 2023 it made history by defeating Japan 1-0 at the Asian Games in Shaoxing, allowing just two hits in the upset. For more on China’s international baseball history, visit World Baseball Network’s coverage of f China vs Germany in the WBCQ.

China will need to compete in more WBSC Asia events to improve against stronger competition and must qualify for the WBC in 2028 to secure a place in the 2029 tournament.

The second and third place game will take place at 8 p.m. EST on March 6. The outcome of Colombia vs Germany at 8 p.m. EST on March 4 will determine Brazil’s opponent in Thursday’s elimination game.

All WBC Qualifier games will stream live on the World Baseball Classic website, as well as on its Facebook page, MLB.TV, and YouTube channel, with coverage running through the final out of the second qualifier in Tucson, Ariz., on March 6.

2026 World Baseball Classic Information

The United States, Italy, Mexico, Great Britain and a Qualifier nation will compete at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas from March 6-11 in Pool B. 

Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, and a Qualifier nation will compete in San Juan, Puerto Rico at Hiram Bithorn Stadium from March 6-11 in Pool A. 

Japan, Australia, South Korea, Czech Republic, and a Qualifier nation will compete at the Tokyo Dome from March 5-10 in Pool C. 

Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Israel, and a Qualifier nation will compete at loanDepot Park in Miami in Pool D from March 6-11. 

The Quarterfinals of the 2026 WBC will feature the Pool A runner-up facing the Pool B winner on March 13, while the Pool B runner-up will face the Pool A winner on March 14 at Daikin Park.

The other side of the Quarterfinals will be on March 13 with the Pool C runner-up playing the Pool D winner and the Pool D runner-up will play the Pool C winner on March 14 at loanDepot Park. 

The 2026 WBC semifinals will be held on March 15 and 16 at loanDepot Park, with the championship game taking place on March 17.

2025 WBC Qualifiers Schedule – Veterans Memorial Stadium

All Game Start Times Are Listed Eastern Standard Time

March 4, 2025 

Germany vs. Colombia – 8 p.m. EST 

March 6, 2025 – Qualifier Game 

2nd Place Team vs. 3rd Place Team – 8 p.m. EST 

Two Or More Teams Tied Standing Scenario

If two or more teams have the same record, head-to-head results determine the higher rank. If three or more are tied, the team that allowed the fewest runs per out recorded against the tied teams advances. If still tied, earned runs per out recorded will be used. If a tie remains, the team with the highest batting average in head-to-head games moves on. If no winner is determined, World Baseball Classic Inc. will hold a drawing to decide.

 

Photo: Brazil players celebrate after a 12-2 mercy rule victory over China in seven innings at the WBC qualifiers in Tucson on March 5, 2025. (Photo Courtesy of WBSC/Facebook)