Puerto Rico ends Dominican dominance, Japan eyes semis

[March 15, 2017]  (Reuters) - Puerto Rico handed the Dominican Republic their first World Baseball Classic (WBC) loss since 2009, beating the defending champions 3-1 in their Pool F opener at Petco Park in San Diego on Tuesday.

Puerto Rico, who lost the 2013 WBC title game to the Dominicans, were led by a stellar performance by their bullpen and a great all-round game from veteran catcher Yadier Molina.

Molina homered, drove in two runs, denied a base-runner with a pivotal out late in the game and helped guide the pitching staff through nine innings of one-run ball.

Puerto Rico's victory snapped an 11-game WBC winning streak for the Dominican Republic, who swept to the 2013 crown with an 8-0 record and won their three games in this year's first round.

The Puerto Ricans improved to 4-0 with their win and took a large step closer to the semi-finals in Los Angeles. They and Japan, playing in Pool E in Tokyo, are the only remaining unbeaten teams in the tournament.

Tuesday's contest was an uncharacteristically low-scoring game for two high-powered offenses. Puerto Rico have outscored opponents, 29-7, in pool play, while the Dominican Republic produced seven or more runs in each of their first-round wins.

Puerto Rico broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the fourth and Molina, a seven-time All-Star with the St Louis Cardinals, gave them some breathing room in the sixth with a solo blast.

Molina, who also delivered the game's first run with an RBI-single against his St Louis team mate Carlos Martinez in the first, is batting .417 (5-for-12) with five RBIs and four runs so far in the tournament.

Nelson Cruz homered in the second for the Dominicans' only run.

The Puerto Rico bullpen runs onto the field after defeating the Dominican Republic during the 2017 World Baseball Classic at Petco Park. Puerto Rico won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Japan began Tuesday's action with an 8-5 victory over Cuba in Tokyo that put them on the brink of reaching the championship round in Los Angeles.

Tetsuto Yamada homered twice for the winners, including a two-run shot that capped a three-run outburst in the eighth that broke open a 5-5 game.

Japan, 2-0 in the second round, can secure a semi-finals berth with a win against Israel (1-1), who could end up in a Pool E tie-breaker game as the Netherlands (1-1) face winless Cuba.

(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by John O'Brien)

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