Dominican Republic Baseball watches WBC pool play as Japan clinches quarterfinal spot in 4-3 thriller
Dominican republic baseball attention is locked on the 2026 World Baseball Classic as pool play delivers another tight finish. On Sunday, Japan secured a quarterfinal berth with a 4-3 victory over Australia, a game that swung late and turned tense in the ninth inning. The win, confirmed during Sunday’s action, keeps Japan’s momentum rolling as the tournament moves toward the knockout rounds.
Japan advances after late surge, then survives a ninth-inning scare
Japan’s path to the 4-3 win ran through a decisive seventh and eighth inning, then a near-collapse in the final frame. Masataka Yoshida put Japan in front with a two-run home run in the seventh inning. In the eighth, Japan tacked on two additional runs on a Teruaki Sato pinch-hit RBI double and a Seiya Suzuki bases-loaded walk, pushing the margin to 4-1 before Australia’s late push.
Australia made the finish dramatic in the ninth inning with two solo home runs. With one out, Alex Hall homered to right field off Taisei Ota to cut the deficit to 4-2. Later, Rixon Wingrove hit an opposite-field home run to left field, narrowing it to 4-3 with two outs and forcing Japan to get the final out under pressure. Taisei Ota then induced Robbie Perkins to ground out to third base to end it.
On the mound, Chihiro Sumida earned the win for Japan with three scoreless innings of relief, while Jon Kennedy took the loss for Australia.
Dominican Republic Baseball tracks stars and stakes as the bracket takes shape
Sunday’s game also came with a notable stat line for Shohei Ohtani. He went 0-for-3 with two walks after entering the matchup with five hits, two home runs and six RBI earlier in the tournament. Japan’s win locked in its quarterfinal place, and the broader tournament picture continues to sharpen as pool play progresses.
This is the sixth iteration of the World Baseball Classic, with Japan the reigning champion after defeating Team USA 3-2 in the 2023 final. Team USA is seeking a second title after winning in 2017, and its roster is described as loaded, including 22 MLB All-Stars—the most of any roster in the tournament. Among the players set to represent the Americans are Paul Skenes, Cal Raleigh, and Aaron Judge. Team USA entered the tournament as the betting favorite at -105 over Japan at +350 at BetMGM.
Pool-play games are being played in Tokyo, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Miami, and Houston. The pool stage runs through March 11, followed by quarterfinals on March 13 and 14 and semifinals on March 15 and 16. The final is scheduled for March 17 at loanDepot Park in Miami.
Immediate reactions and what comes next
The official update from the World Baseball Classic game log of Sunday’s result underscored the key finishing sequence: Wingrove’s home run cut the lead to one, then Ota got Perkins to ground out to third to seal the win. That final defensive play preserved Japan’s quarterfinal-clinching victory after Australia’s two-homer ninth.
Next up, Australia faces a clear requirement to extend its run: Australia will need to beat Korea on Monday to move on. For dominican republic baseball followers monitoring the wider race, the immediate focus now shifts to Monday’s Australia-Korea result and the remaining pool schedule through March 11, with the knockout stage dates already set for mid-March.
Timestamp (ET): Sunday, March 8, 2026.
