USA survived a late Mexican comeback to claim a crucial World Baseball Classic victory on Monday night.
Team USA defeated Mexico 5-3 at Daikin Park in Houston in front of a raucous crowd, moving to 3-0 in Pool B with one game remaining. Paul Skenes dominated in his WBC debut, pitching four shutout innings while striking out seven. Aaron Judge hit his second home run of the tournament and added a clutch outfield assist, while Roman Anthony delivered the decisive blow with a three-run homer.
“The superstars came through,” as the occasion demanded, with Garrett Whitlock closing out the win in the ninth inning after Mexico pulled within two runs in the eighth.
Jarren Duran led the Mexican charge with two home runs, and the comeback threat had the partisan Mexican crowd roaring as the tying run reached the plate in the ninth. Whitlock held firm to seal the result.
Mexico falls to 2-1 and must beat Italy on Wednesday to keep their tournament hopes alive. The U.S. faces Italy on Tuesday with a chance to finish pool play at 4-0, though a three-way tie at 3-1 between the U.S., Mexico and Italy remains a mathematical possibility if results go that way.
With the win, Team USA also snapped some recent struggles against Mexico in the WBC, a rivalry that has gone in Mexico’s favor in past tournaments.
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