Spanish
MIAMI. – The Dominican Republic defeated Venezuela 7-5 and secured first place in Group D of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, closing the group stage with a perfect 4-0 record.
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With this result, the Dominican team advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament and will face South Korea this Friday. Venezuela, which finished in second place in the group, will face Japan on Saturday in the next round. Dominican offensive power made itself felt again from the start of the game. In the first three innings of the game, Juan Soto, Ketel Marte, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Fernando Tatis Jr. hit home runs to ignite the Quisqueyan offense. With those home runs, the Dominican Republic reached 13 home runs in their first four games of the championship, the most recorded by a team in that stretch of a World Baseball Classic. The previous record was 12 home runs, set by Mexico in the 2009 edition. The long-range offensive has been one of the main strengths of the team led by Albert Pujols, which has a lineup full of Major League stars capable of changing the course of a game with a single swing. In addition to setting the new record in the first four games, the Dominican team is also approaching the historical mark for the most home runs hit by a team in a single World Baseball Classic, a record that also belongs to Mexico with 14 home runs in the 2009 edition. With its powerful offense and undefeated run in the group stage, the Dominican Republic reaches the quarterfinals as one of the most feared teams in the tournament and with its sights set on continuing to advance in the fight for the title.
