ESPN

Mar 15, 2026, 11:05 PM ET

The first World Baseball Classic semifinal is in the books, with Team USA edging the Dominican Republic 2-1 in the matchup many had been dreaming about since the start of the WBC.

Ace Paul Skenes delivered a strong outing, Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony each hit clutch home runs, and a slew of stellar defensive plays and gutsy relief moments pushed the United States to Tuesday's championship game, where the winner of Monday's Venezuela-Italy clash will await.

How did the U.S. get it done? Here are our takeaways and updates from a thrilling night of baseball in Miami.

Takeaways

Paul Skenes really is that guy. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner wasn't exactly dominant. Junior Caminero crushed a 1-2 slider to open the scoring in the second inning for his third home run of the tournament. Skenes escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. He exited the game with two runners on base in the fifth.…