Puerto Rico Advances In WBC With Stunning Upset Over Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico Advances In WBC With Stunning Upset Over Dominican Republic...
Puerto Rico delivered one of the biggest shocks of the 2026 World Baseball Classic on Wednesday night, eliminating the heavily favored Dominican Republic with a 5-3 victory in Miami. The win sends Puerto Rico to the semifinals for the third straight WBC while ending the Dominican squad's championship hopes early.
The game turned in the seventh inning when Puerto Rico's Francisco Lindor blasted a go-ahead three-run homer off Dominican reliever Camilo Doval. Starter José BerrÃos held the star-studded Dominican lineup to two runs over five innings before handing off to a lights-out bullpen.
Social media erupted after the game as #PuertoRicoWBC trended nationwide. The upset resonates particularly in New York, Florida and other areas with large Puerto Rican communities. Many fans called it the island's biggest baseball win since defeating Team USA in the 2017 WBC finals.
"This proves small countries can compete with the giants," said manager Yadier Molina in postgame interviews. The victory came despite Puerto Rico having just one active MLB All-Star (Lindor) compared to the Dominican Republic's nine.
Puerto Rico will face the winner of Thursday's Japan-Venezuela quarterfinal in the semifinals this weekend. The WBC semifinals and finals will be played at Miami's loanDepot park, with tickets selling rapidly after Wednesday's upset.
The Dominican Republic's early exit marks a major disappointment for a team featuring Juan Soto, Julio RodrÃguez and Manny Machado. Manager Rodney Linares acknowledged his squad "failed to meet expectations" after entering the tournament as betting favorites.
Puerto Rico's advancement comes as the island continues recovering from Hurricane Fiona's devastation last September. Players have dedicated their WBC run to hurricane victims, with Lindor telling ESPN: "We want to give our people something to celebrate."
Viewership records are expected when Puerto Rico plays its semifinal, likely surpassing the 1.3 million who watched their 2017 finals appearance. The team's Cinderella story has become the dominant narrative of this year's tournament.
