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 in World Baseball Classic history on Wednesday night, eliminating the star-studded Dominican Republic team with a 5-2 victory in Miami. The underdog win sends Puerto Rico to the quarterfinals while sending home a Dominican squad featuring MLB MVPs Juan Soto and Manny Machado.
The victory sparked massive celebrations across Puerto Rico and in diaspora communities from New York to Orlando. Social media erupted with reactions as the game trended nationally, with many calling it the island's most significant baseball moment since their 2017 WBC finals run.
Puerto Rican starter Marcus Stroman, pitching against his father's homeland, delivered five strong innings before turning the game over to a lockdown bullpen. The decisive blow came in the seventh inning when catcher Christian Vázquez launched a two-run homer off Dominican reliever Gregory Soto.
"This is for our people," said Puerto Rico manager Yadier Molina in a postgame interview. "Every player understood what this game meant beyond baseball." The win comes as Puerto Rico continues recovering from Hurricane Fiona's devastation last September.
The Dominican Republic, considered tournament favorites with 13 MLB All-Stars, failed to advance past pool play for the first time in WBC history. Manager Rodney Linares called the loss "a nightmare scenario" for the baseball-crazed nation.
Puerto Rico now prepares to face Venezuela in the quarterfinals on Saturday at loanDepot Park. The game is expected to draw massive viewership, particularly in US cities with large Puerto Rican populations like Chicago and Philadelphia.
Tournament organizers reported record-breaking US television ratings for the Puerto Rico-Dominican matchup, with ESPN averaging 3.8 million viewers during prime time. The WBC's growing popularity reflects baseball's efforts to grow the game internationally while appealing to younger US audiences.
Local businesses in San Juan reported surges in merchandise sales Thursday morning, with fans scrambling for official WBC jerseys. Meanwhile, Dominican fans expressed shock on social media, with #WBCDominicana trending as users debated the team's unexpected early exit.
This marks Puerto Rico's fourth consecutive WBC semifinal appearance, cementing their status as a consistent contender despite having fewer MLB players than powerhouses like the US or Japan. Their next game airs Saturday at 7pm ET on Fox Sports 1.
