World Baseball Classic live updates: Pool C, Pool D group play
The 2023 World Baseball Classic continued Tuesday with four highly anticipated games, a pair in both Pool C and D.
Up first, Pool D group play took center stage, as Venezuela stopped Nicaragua in the day's first game.
Later, Pool C was in action as Canada shut down Colombia (albeit losing Freddie Freeman during the game), followed by Dominican Republic's dominant offensive display vs. Israel in the second Pool D game. To close things out for Pool C, Mexico ended Great Britain's 2023 strife.
Group play for Pool A, which took place in Taichung, Taiwan, wrapped Sunday, with Cuba and Italy advancing to the quarterfinals. Elsewhere, in Tokyo, group play for Pool B wrapped earlier Monday, with Japan and Australia advancing.
The WBC began March 7 and will end on March 21 with the championship game (Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET, FS1) in Florida. Quarterfinal games will take place March 15-18, followed by the semifinals from March 19-20.
Games are airing across FOX, FS1, FS2 and are available to stream on the FOX Sports app. View the full schedule here.
Here are the top plays!
Mexico 2, Great Britain 1 (Pool C)
Hustle play!
As baseball managers say, always run it out. Mexico embodied this mantra in the bottom of the second inning, getting its first run of the night by beating out an infield hit at first.
Got him!
What a strike. Chavez Young rattled off a slingshot of a throw to nab a Mexican runner at second base, and get out of the fourth inning.
Sippin' the tea
Young followed up his brilliant throw with a stellar AB at the plate, putting Great Britain in scoring position with a leadoff double.
And on another infield hit, Young found pay dirt to tie the matchup at 1.
Home free!
Mexico took a 2-1 lead courtesy of their nine-hole hitter Alexis Wilson, who smacked a liner into left field to give his squad the edge.
Sound off
Reliever Jesus Cruz had Mexico fans hyped as he retired the side in the bottom of the eighth inning, and his own energy more than matched the crowd's.
The team handled business in the ninth to stave off Great Britain, and keep its own title hopes alive.
Dominican Republic 10, Israel 0 (Pool D)
Got him swinging!
19-year-old minor leaguer Jacob Steinmetz has likely never seen a bigger stage than this one. But his manager entrusted with him starting duties a huge spot, and he looked solid early on, retiring multi-time All-Star Manny Machado via strikeout in the first inning.
Right on the nose
The DR took a 1-0 in the bottom of the first though, courtesy of this screaming liner from Eloy Jimenez.
Watch me work
Machado was sent packing in the first inning, but responded in the third with a momentous big fly that sailed 437 feet.
The Dominican squad tacked on another run in that inning on this RBI double from Ketel Marte.
Two more on the board!
The Dominican bats were out and poppin', and the squad got two more runs on this dribbler from Julio Rodriguez.
Many RBIs for Manny
After his big fly in the third, Machado racked up two more RBIs on a tough drive to opposite field.
Robinson Cano added another RBI to put the D.R. up 8-0, before the crowd got a chance to heap its praises onto team GM Nelson Cruz.
El mambo!
Jean Segura, also known as Mr. Cool, calm and collected walked it off for the squad to a rise of cheers from the crowd, winning it for the D.R., 10-0.
FINAL: Canada 5, Colombia 0 (Pool C)
Playing for something bigger
Colombia starting pitcher Harold Ramirez's blue hair was easily distinguishable on camera, and according to Jon Morosi, that's exactly how he wanted it to be.
Defense to offense
After a clutch strikeout and throw out, Canada struck first in the top of the fourth inning on a looping fly ball from Bo Naylor.
Family affair
Rio Gomez, son of the late Pedro Gomez, got his chance to shine for the Colombian squad, and made the most of it with his mother in attendance, pitching a scoreless inning in the sixth.
Laying it out there
Canada was knocking on the door for another run in the seventh, but Oscar Mercado stretched out for a diving grab to prevent the run.
Freeman leaves game
Dodgers star first baseman Freddie Freeman left the game after a hamstring injury during a swing.
Moonshot!
After plating one more run late in the game, Canada steamrolled ahead with a towering home run ball off the bat of Otto Lopez. And you just have to hear how it sounded.
Canada shut things down in the bottom half of the inning to put themselves in great position for advancement.
FINAL: Venezuela 4. Nicaragua 1 (Pool D)
Down in order!
Nicaragua starting pitcher Erasmo Ramírez was cooking early, retiring three straight Venezuelan batters in the first inning to give his squad some early momentum.
Full house
Nicaragua went up 1-0 after loading the bases in the second inning, plating its first run on this dribbler up the middle.
Holding steadfast
After Nicaragua pushed Eduardo Rodriguez out of the game with seven hits, reliever José Ruiz cleaned up shop with three outs in just three pushes to help Venezuela out of the inning.
Even!
Venezuela knotted the tally at 1 with a double from Andres Gimenez, which scored Ronald Acuña Jr.
Two more!
The fourth inning was huge for the Venezuelan troupe, which plated two more runs courtesy of a double from Eugenio Suarez.
Anthony Santander added to their lead in the fifth, smacking an RBI double into center to put them up 3.
Closing in style
José Quijada broke out his patented jersey, and Suarez flashed some pretty glove skills as Venezuela kept its opponent's offense at bay to end the matchup with a 4-1 win. Nicaragua will now have to requalify for the 2026 event.
Read more:
- World Baseball Classic: Top sights, sounds, celebrations thus far
- WBC Daily: What happened in all eight games Saturday
- Team USA isn't WBC favorite, but boasts its best roster in years
