The action in Pool F is underway. The Rockies will have two players in action tonight facing off on different teams for the first time! Nolan Arenado and USA face Carlos Gonzalez and Venezuela at 7 pm MT at Petco Park in San Diego.
The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico played a tense game last night in the opener for Pool F that featured lineups that made the game far more like an All-Star Game than an exhibition. Puerto Rico prevailed 3-1, ending the DR’s streak of 11 straight WBC wins dating back to the 2009 tournament. Cardinals’ catcher Yadier Molina was the star of the game for Puerto Rico, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, and taking advantage of a questionable strike zone to steal some strikes for his pitchers.
If anyone still thought that the players and coaches weren’t taking the tournament seriously, look no further than the ejection of Dominican manager Tony Pena for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Will Little in the eighth inning. Now the Dominicans, the defending champions and one of the tournament favorites, will now have to try to secure wins against Venezuela and the United States if they hope to advance to the final.
Already securing their places in the finals are Japan and the Netherlands, who both won today to advance to the finals next week in Los Angeles. The Netherlands destroyed Cuba 14-1 in seven innings, led by dual 3-for-4 performances from centerfielder Jurickson Profar and right fielder Wladimir Balentien. The Dutch also received six innings from Diegomar Markwell, who allowed one run on four hits with one strikeout.
Earlier this morning Japan ended the Cinderella run of Jerry Weinstein-managed Team Israel, eliminating the Israelis 8-3 in the Tokyo Dome. The game was locked up at 0-0 going into the sixth inning when slugging left fielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh hit a solo home run to open up a five run sixth inning. Israel tried to rally in the ninth down 8-0, but fell just short. Japan went undefeated through the opening two rounds and now head to Los Angeles for their fourth consecutive semi-final appearance.
Pool F schedule for Wednesday, March 15
Venezuela vs. USA
Location: Petco Park, San Diego, California
Time: 7 pm MT
TV: MLB Network
Steaming: MLV.tv
Second Round
WBC Pool E Schedule and Results
| Date | Team | v | Team | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Team | v | Team | Time | Venue |
| March 11 | Cuba (1) | vs | Israel (4) | Tokyo Dome | |
| March 12 | Japan (8) | vs | Netherlands (6) | Tokyo Dome | |
| March 13 | Netherlands (12) | vs | Israel (2) | Tokyo Dome | |
| March 14 | Cuba (5) | vs | Japan (8) | Tokyo Dome | |
| March 14 | Netherlands (14) | vs | Cuba (1) | Tokyo Dome | |
| March 15 | Israel (3) | vs | Japan (8) | Tokyo Dome |
Pool E Standings
| Rank | Team | Wins | Losses | Runs Scored | Runs Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team | Wins | Losses | Runs Scored | Runs Allowed |
| 1 | Japan | 3 | 0 | 24 | 14 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 2 | 1 | 32 | 11 |
| 3 | Israel | 1 | 2 | 9 | 21 |
| 4 | Cuba | 0 | 3 | 7 | 26 |
WBC Pool F Schedule and Results
| Date | Team | v | Team | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Team | v | Team | Time | Venue |
| March 14 | Dominican Republic (1) | vs | Puerto Rico (3) | Petco Park | |
| March 15 | Venezuela (2) | vs | United States (4) | Petco Park | |
| March 16 | Venezuela (0) | vs | Dominican Republic (3) | Petco Park | |
| March 17 | United States (5) | vs | Puerto Rico (6) | Petco Park | |
| March 18 | Puerto Rico (13) | vs | Venezuela (2) | Petco Park | |
| March 18 | United States (6) | vs | Dominican Republic (3) | Petco Park | |
| March 19 | TBD | TBD | N/A | Petco Park |
Pool F Standings
| Rank | Team | Wins | Losses | Runs Scored | Runs Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team | Wins | Losses | Runs Scored | Runs Allowed |
| 1 | Puerto Rico | 3 | 0 | 22 | 8 |
| 2 | United States | 2 | 1 | 15 | 11 |
| 3 | Dominican Republic | 1 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| 4 | Venezuela | 0 | 3 | 4 | 20 |
Championship Round
WBC Championship Schedule
| Date | Team | vs | Team | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Team | vs | Team | Time | Venue |
| Semifinals | |||||
| March 20 | Netherlands (3) | vs | Puerto Rico (4) | F/11 | Dodger Stadium |
| March 21 | United States (2) | vs | Japan (1) | F | Dodger Stadium |
| Finals | |||||
| March 22 | United States | vs | Puerto Rico | 7:00 pm MT | Dodger Stadium |