Baseball fans stunned as Venezuela shocks World Baseball Classic favorite Dominican Republic in tournament opener: "This is the Dominican superteam?"
Team Dominican Republic got a hard dose of reality on Saturday as Team Venezuela shocked the World Baseball Classic favorites 5-1 at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Fla.
The Dominican Republic appeared every bit the expected tournament champion off the bat as leadoff hitter Julio Rodriguez singled to left and was doubled home by Juan Soto as the Dominicans promptly took a 1-0 before an out was recorded.
However, Venezuelan starting pitcher Martin Perez got the next three Dominican hitters in order to strand Soto at second. From there, the game was all Venezuela.
Team Venezuela wins its first game in Pool D! #WorldBaseballClassic https://t.co/uiok0kcZVY
The game remained 1-0 until Anthony Santander smacked a 393-foot home run to right off of reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara to knot the score at 1-1.
Venezuela busted the game open on David Peralta two-RBI single in the fifth and the Dominican Republic barely threatened from there. Five Venezuelan pitchers combined to strike out 15 batters from the Dominicans' All-Star caliber roster -- including seven K's from Luis Garcia.
Despite an attempted ninth-inning rally that eventually went away quietly, the Dominican Republic was completely outclassed on the night by a Venezuela squad that suddenly looks tremendously overlooked by pre-tournament prognosticators.
@WBCBaseball Venezuela is dangerous
twitter.com/wbcbaseball/st…
Just getting started lets rock ✔️ twitter.com/wbcbaseball/st…
@WBCBaseball I'm telling you this Venezuela team could absolutely win it all.
Meanwhile, while it is just one game, the Dominican Republic suddenly finds itself one game back of what appears to be two underrated and talented squads from Venezuela and Puerto Rico with just four games left to make up the difference and advance out of Group D -- dubbed this tournament's "Group of Death" -- and qualify for the knockout stage of the World Baseball Classic.
@WBCBaseball This is the dominican superteam? 😹😹😹
This is what we love to see, DR is 0-1, PR gotta eat now🍽 twitter.com/wbcbaseball/st…
@WBCBaseball I mean I’d rather DR not advance 🤷🏻♂️
It was just another exciting and surprising result from what has been a thrilling World Baseball Classic so far. There have been a few blowouts, but more often than not games have been close and many teams are performing better than what was expected.
@WBCBaseball @MLB Best game of the tourney so far
Baseball is the best. twitter.com/wbcbaseball/st…
@WBCBaseball Could feel the rivalry in that game. Best game of the tournament so far
It was the first time that Venezuela has defeated the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Maybe there is something to "Arepa Power" after all?
@WBCBaseball Arepa power! https://t.co/J6zIerAOwq
Dominican Republic is seeking second World Baseball Classic title
Perhaps the Dominican Republic felt the pressure of being the favorites, perhaps they overlooked Venezuela, or maybe Venezuela is just better than people thought.
However you look at it, the Dominican Republic is now going to have to get on its horse if the team hopes to join Japan as the only two-time World Baseball Classic champions.