World Baseball Classic 2017 scores: Team USA eliminates Dominican Republic to gain semifinal berth

The final game of the second round was a thriller, with the United States beating the Dominican Republic, 6-3 on Saturday night at Petco Park in San Diego to advance to the semifinals of the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

The win gave the United States a 2-1 record in Pool F, earning them runner-up status in the four-team round robin, and ensuring a matchup against Pool E winner Japan on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.

The Dominican Republic, the defending World Baseball Classic, was eliminated with the loss.

Down 2-0 after one inning, the United States stormed back to tie with two runs in the third inning, then took the lead with two more in the fourth, the latter coming on a rocket home run by Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton off of Dominican starter Ervin Santana.

When these two teams met on March 11 in first-round play in Miami, Team USA held a 5-0 lead late but saw the Dominican Republic storm back for a 7-5 victory.

On Saturday, Kansas City Royals starter Danny Duffy overcame those two first-inning runs — just one earned run — to last through four innings without further damage, striking out one.

After Stanton’s home run, that 4-2 Team USA lead held until the seventh inning, when Robinson Cano hit a solo home run to pull the Dominican Republic within a run. That home run would have tied the game were it not for Adam Jones robbing his Baltimore Orioles teammate Manny Machado of a home run just one batter earlier.

The U.S. tacked padded their lead in the eighth on a two-run double by Andrew McCutchen, and the lead held, giving Team USA their first semifinal berth in the World Baseball Classic since 2009.

In the other semfinal matchup, Pool F winner Puerto Rico will battle Pool E runner-up Netherlands on Monday night. The WBC championship game is on Wednesday night, also at Dodger Stadium.