World Baseball Classic 2026: Japan improves to 3-0, Dominican Republic hits 4 homers

Day 3 of the 2026 World Baseball Classic could see several teams fall into 0-3 holes to open pool play. Colombia, Great Britain, Nicaragua, Panama and Brazil go into Sunday each losing their first two games in the tournament.

Sunday’s marquee game pitted Japan versus Australia, and Japan eked out a 4-3 win. Among the other six games on the schedule, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Canada and Mexico each have an opportunity to improve to 2-0 by the end of the day.

Cuba faces Colombia, the Dominican Republic plays the Netherlands, Italy takes on Great Britain, Canada is matched up with Panama and Sunday’s play ends with Mexico facing Brazil.

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Dominican Republic 12, Netherlands 1

Juan Soto’s 2-run homer gives the Dominican Republic a 12-1 walkoff win over the Netherlands in seven innings.

Soto’s long ball was one of four for the DR, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Junior Caminero and Austin Wells also going deep. The Dominican Republic improved to 2-0 in Pool D play.

Japan 4, Australia 3

Masataka Yoshida’s 2-run home run in the seventh inning gave Japan the lead after going scoreless for the previous six frames. Japan added two more runs in the eighth on a pinch-hit RBI double from Teruaki Sato and Seiya Suzuki drawing a bases-loaded walk (after Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked).

Ohtani finished 0-for-3 with two walks after coming into Sunday’s matchup with 5 hits, 2 home runs and 6 RBI.

World Baseball Classic 2026: Japan improves to 3-0, Dominican Republic hits 4 homers

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