"All 9 of them will have 20 ML home runs." Dominica will meet South Korea in the quarterfinals! Venezuela defeated 7-5 to secure top spot in Group D [2026 WBC]

*This content was translated by AI.

The opponent of the second round (quarterfinals) of the Korean national baseball team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun (55), has been decided as the Dominican Republic with an "average of 20 home runs."

The Dominican Republic defeated Venezuela 7-5 in the final Group D match of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) first round at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida on the 12th (Korea time).

As a result, Dominica ranked first in Group D with four wins and no losses, and Venezuela ranked second with three wins and one loss. Therefore, Korea, ranked second in Group C, will play against Dominica, ranked first in Group D, and Japan, ranked first in Group C, will play Venezuela, ranked second in Group D.

Dominica is a batter with 20 home runs experience in a major league season, and its strength is that it can set up a starting lineup. He is the worst opponent for South Korea, which experienced a crisis of elimination with many home runs in the first round. On the same day, Dominica bombed the Venezuelan mound with 10 hits, including four home runs.

All of the first to fourth hitters, starting with Fernando Tatis Jr., had multi-hitters. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the fourth batter, proved why he is called a monster by playing four times at bat with three hits (one home run) and one RBI and one walk.

On this day, Dominica set up a batting order with Fernando Tatis Jr. (right fielder), Ketel Marte (second baseman), Juan Soto (left fielder), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (first baseman), Manny Machado (third baseman), Junior Caminero (designated hitter), Julio Rodriguez (middle fielder), Austin Wells (catcher), and Heraldo Perdomo (striker). The starting pitcher is Sandy Alcantara.

Against this, Venezuela decided to bat Ronald Acuña Jr. (right fielder), Michael Garcia (third baseman), Luis Arraez (second baseman), Wilson Contreras (first baseman), Salvador Perez (designated hitter), William Contreras (catcher), Willyer Abreu (left fielder), Ezekiel Tova (striker), and Jackson Churio (center fielder). The starting pitcher is Eduardo Rodriguez.

From the beginning, a slugfest has unfolded. In the top of the first inning, Soto fired a two-run shot over the middle with one out and one on the first base. Venezuela also countered with a timely RBI hit to the right in the bottom of the first inning with one out and runners on the first and second bases.

In the third inning, they exchanged two runs each. Dominica scored two points with Marte and Guerrero Jr. hitting solo shots. Venezuela created an opportunity with leadoff hitter Acuña Jr. stealing second base after a walk. Garcia and Arraez chased by one point with consecutive RBI doubles.

Dominica turned the game around with another home run. In the top of the fourth inning, Dominica's walk with two outs and a hit to the center of Perdomo widened the gap with Tatis Jr.'s three-run home run to the left.

The game, which seemed to end as it was, was urgent as the Dominican mound collapsed in the top of the ninth inning. The changed pitcher Avner Uribe gave consecutive walks to Churio, Acuña Jr. and Garcia, facing a full base crisis with no outs.

Dominica changed to Elvis Alvarado, and Alvarado gave him two points, but he finally blocked it and met South Korea.

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*This content was translated by AI.