Dominican Republic’s pitching follows team’s hitting dominance in WBC shutout of Korea
Nearly all the attention on the Dominican Republic so far in the World Baseball Classic understandably has been on its offense — a prolific collection of some of Major League Baseball’s top hitters that has mashed its way to utter dominance in the tournament.
But turn your attention to the pitcher’s mound on Friday night at Miami’s loanDepot park, and look at how the DR’s equally impressive collection of arms put on a performance to remember.
Cristopher Sanchez led the way as the Dominican Republic held Korea to just two hits and four total baserunners in a 10-0, walk-off, seven-inning, mercy-rule, shutout win in a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal in front of an announced crowd of 30,805. Catcher Austin Wells ended the game with a three-run home run in the seventh, enacting the World Baseball Classic’s mercy rule which ends the game if a team is winning by 10 runs or more after the seventh inning.
The DR, a perfect 5-0 in the tournament, advances to the semifinals where it will face the United States on Sunday at loanDepot park (8 p.m., FS1).
“This is something special for us because we are a very united team, a compact team,” designated hitter Junior Caminero said. “You can feel the emotion, the energy in the clubhouse. We work as a team. This is something very special to us. We cannot fake about being [undefeated]. Now we have to focus on the next opponent on Sunday and to continue playing like we have been doing so far.”
Sanchez dazzled over five innings, holding Korea to just two hits and a walk while striking out eight. He needed just 63 pitches to record his 15 outs, generating 18 whiffs on 31 swings, before giving way to the bullpen.
It was a much-improved performance from Sanchez’s pool play start against Nicaragua on March 6, when he gave up three runs on six hits and lasted just 1 1/3 innings because he failed to consistently find the strike zone.
That was nowhere near an issue on Friday. Forty-three of his 63 pitches were strikes. His slider and changeup, used 23 total times, were unhittable, generating seven whiffs on seven swings. His sinker set everything up for success.
“Cristopher was one of the best pitchers last year,” Dominican Republic manager Albert Pujols said. “The way he prepares, the way he works, he made the necessary adjustments for this game.”
Albert Abreu then faced the minimum over two innings — tossing a perfect sixth inning and erasing a Manny Machado throwing error in the seventh with an inning-ending double play — and struck out three of the six batters he faced to set up the potential for the mercy-rule win.
The Dominican Republic has allowed just 10 runs through five World Baseball Classic games, five of which came in its pool-play finale against Venezuela on Wednesday.
The bullpen has allowed just two runs (one earned run) on six hits and nine walks with 21 strikeouts over 22 2/3 innings.
“All of them are really putting pressure on the offense by throwing first-pitch strikes, and not only with fastball, but also doing it with breaking ball,” Dominican Republic pitching coach Wellington Cepeda said. “When you do that, you put a lot of pressure on the offensive side. The team is attacking — and everybody’s doing it right now.”
Added Wells: “The pitchers have been incredible. They’ve given us the opportunity to go out there as an offense and be free and not have to worry about putting up runs ... which allows you to put up runs.”
And the offense once again put up a lot of runs — albeit in a much quieter fashion than it showcased throughout pool play. There were no home runs until the very end after belting out 13 in its first four games, but a stream of big hits and timely walks gave the Dominican Republic provided more than enough firepower on Friday until Wells’ final blow — one that tied the World Baseball Classic record for most home runs by a team in a single tournament, matching the 14 produced by Mexico’s team in 2009.
Caminero opened a three-run second inning with an RBI double that scored Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who made a leaping head-first dive to beat the tag of Korea catcher Dong Won Park. A Julio Rodriguez groundout scored Caminero. Fernando Tatis Jr. capped the frame with an RBI single that scored Agustin Ramirez, who had walked and moved to second on a Geraldo Perdomo single. That was enough to chase Hyun-jin Ryu, the 38-year-old and former 10-year MLB veteran.
The DR then tacked on four more runs in the third by teeing off against four Korea relief pitchers.
A Guerrero RBI double against Kyung-Eun Noh scored Juan Soto, who did a swim move at home plate to avoid a tag from Park. A Manny Machado single against Yeong Hyun Park then scored Guerrero.
Been Gawk then walked three consecutive Dominican batters — Perdomo, Tatis and Ketel Marte — with two outs, the final two of which came with the bases loaded to force in runs, before Dane Dunning ended the frame by getting Soto to line out to right field.
Wells, who replaced Ramirez at catcher in the sixth inning, then capped the game with a walk-off, three-run home run in the seventh inning.
The Dominican Republic moves on, now two wins away from a championship.
“Our job is to win every single game no matter the team we face and to prepare the guys,” Pujols said. “My message to my team and 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.”
This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 9:29 PM.
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