In the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals, the Dominican Republic defeated Korea 10-0, highlighted by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s acrobatic slide to score the first run. Guerrero's effort, along with Juan Soto's similar play, showcased aggressive base running. Manager Albert Pujols praised the team's intensity and respect for the game.
The Dominican Republic advanced in the World Baseball Classic with a dominant 10-0 quarterfinal win over Korea on Friday night in Miami. The team's offensive display included powerful hitting, but the early scoring emphasized smart and daring base running.
In the second inning, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drew a walk from his former teammate Hyun Jin Ryu, tipping his helmet in respect. Junior Caminero followed with a double to left field on a pitch just 0.61 feet off the ground—the lowest for an extra-base hit in the 2023 or 2026 Classics. Guerrero sprinted around the bases, stumbling near home but leaping airborne to evade catcher Dong Won Park's tag and score the game's first run.
Caminero later commented on the play, saying, "I told Vladdy that I'm going to give him something for him to jump or dive in the swimming pool, I have hit it."
The inning continued with Julio Rodríguez's RBI groundout and Fernando Tatis Jr.'s single, which drove in another run and ended Ryu's outing. As Guerrero returned to the dugout, Juan Soto mimicked Jarrod Dyson's "Vroom Vroom" celebration.
In the next inning, with Soto on base, Guerrero hit a double to the gap. Despite the throw beating Soto to the plate, the outfielder slid around the tag to add to the score.
Manager Albert Pujols highlighted the players' approach: "Speaking about Vladimir Guerrero and Juan Soto, maybe they are not the fastest runners, but they were aggressive on the bases. When you have this kind of team that can damage you not only with the bat, but the way they play so aggressively, they know about the importance of this tournament for themselves, for the country, for our homeland. And at the same time, they respect baseball, and they are going to play baseball the way it is supposed to be played, taking advantage of the mistakes made by our rivals."
This performance moved the Dominican Republic closer to the semifinals, blending power and precision on the basepaths.
