1 of 5 | Dominican Republic shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (C) reacts to striking out as United States catcher Will Smith (L) celebrates winning a World Baseball Classic semifinal Sunday at IoanDepot Park in Miami. Photo by Michael Laughlin/UPI | License Photo
Baseball’s best fought pitch-by-pitch, with Team USA narrowly outlasting the Dominican Republic to reach the 2026 World Baseball Classic finale Sunday night in Miami.
But what many remember most will be the final pitch: Mason Miller’s slider to shortstop Geraldo Perdomo that was ruled strike three, but should have been called ball four and extended the instant classic. Instead, a perplexed Perdomo walked back to his dugout, while Miller celebrated the 2-1 triumph at loanDepot park.
“There was just so much talent on the field, both sides,” Team USA manager Mark DeRosa told reporters. “You knew it was going to come down to one swing of the bat.”
Had Miller’s slider, which was shown below the strike zone box shown on the FS1 broadcast and on MLB’s Gameday tracker, which is powered by Hawk-Eye cameras, been ruled a ball, Perdomo would have taken a walk and put runners on first and third base for the Dominicans. A ball call also would have brought star right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. to the plate with a chance to tie or win the game.
But, as Dominican Republic manager Albert Pujols said, it wasn’t “meant to be.”
Miller escaped the inning unscathed, allowing no hits or runs while issuing two strikeouts and a walk to secure his second save of the tournament. The electric atmosphere of loanDepot park eventually fizzled and the lights flickered off.
“I don’t want to focus on the last pitch,” Pujols said. “Obviously, it didn’t go our way. Disappointed about the way the game ended, but I’m not going to criticize any of that. It wasn’t meant to be for us.”
MASON MILLER WINS THE BATTLE
TEAM USA WINS THE GAME! #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/IJCG9vjv5r— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 16, 2026
Miller’s controversial strike punched the Americans’ tickets to the World Baseball Classic finale for the third consecutive edition of the tournament. They will take on Italy or Venezuela in an attempt to claim their second crown, following their 2017 triumph over Puerto Rico, on Tuesday in Miami.
“We got the job done, that’s it,” Miller said. “That’s all we’re here to do is do our job. It didn’t necessarily go perfectly, but it went pretty well, pretty close to our plan.”
Reigning Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates dueled Athletics ace Luis Severino for more than half of the semifinal. Skenes allowed six hits and one run over 4 1/3 innings to mostly muffle the Dominican bats. Severino held the Americans to just five hits and one run over 3 1/3 innings.
Skenes’ lone blemish came when Tampa Bay Rays slugger Junior Caminero sent a second-inning sweeper to left center for a 401-foot solo homer. That shot stood as the game’s only run until the fourth inning. Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson clobbered a Severino cutter for a 400-foot solo homer in the first at-bat of the frame, tying the score.
Boston Red sox outfielder Roman Anthony belted the final run of the night with a 421-foot solo blast off Pirates relief pitcher Gregory Soto two at-bats later.
The Dominicans allowed just one more hit after Anthony’s homer, but failed to reach home plate down the stretch, despite packing the base paths.
An American bullpen of Tyler Rogers, Griffin Jax, David Bednar, Garrett Whitlock and Miller combined to allow just two hits and a walk over the final 4 2/3 innings, quieting Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Tatis and other Dominican superstars to earn a spot in the finale.
“We’ve got a bunch of dogs out there that just get outs,” Skenes said of the USA bullpen. “It’s been great. It’s been an honor to watch them, to share a clubhouse with them. Just go down the list.”
The Americans, who are favored to win the crown, will take on Italy or Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic title game at 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Miami. DeRosa plans to hand the ball to New York Mets starter Nolan McClean for the finale, which will air on Fox.
The Italians and Venezuelans will contest the second semifinal at 8 p.m. Monday at loanDepot park. That game will air on FS1.
“They are two great teams,” Henderson said of Team USA’s potential final foe. “Whoever it is, we are just going to come out there with a lot of energy.
“We’re going to come out there, try to put a lot of runs up, give our pitchers some cushion and take it to them.”
World Baseball Classic: Team USA defeats Dominican Republic
Team USA’s Roman Anthony reacts to hitting a home run against the Dominican Republic during the fourth inning in the World Baseball Classic at loanDepot park in Miami on March 15, 2026. Photo by Michael Laughlin/UPI | License Photo
