Team USA secured a 15-5 victory over Brazil in their Pool B opener at the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Houston. Despite Brazil's three home runs, including two from 20-year-old Lucas Ramirez, USA capitalized on 17 walks issued by Brazilian pitchers. Aaron Judge's early two-run homer set the tone for the Americans' win.
The game at Daikin Park began with high expectations for Team USA, featuring an All-Star lineup including Aaron Judge and a strong pitching staff. In the first inning, Bobby Witt Jr. led off with an infield single and stole second, setting up Judge to homer on a 3-0 sweeper from Bo Takahashi, a 405-foot blast that gave USA a 2-0 lead.
Brazil responded immediately when leadoff hitter Lucas Ramirez, son of 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez and an Angels prospect, launched a 392-foot homer off Logan Webb's second pitch, marking the 10th leadoff home run in WBC history and making it 2-1.
USA extended the lead in the second when Kyle Schwarber scored on a wild pitch, reaching 3-1. The fifth inning proved pivotal: after walks to Alex Bregman, Cal Raleigh, and Roman Anthony, Byron Buxton was hit by a 91.7 mph fastball from Gabriel Barbosa, forcing in a run to make it 4-1. Buxton then scored on Brice Turang's three-run double off the left-field wall, pushing the score to 7-1. Buxton exited after the inning for Pete Crow-Armstrong, not due to injury.
Logan Webb pitched four innings, allowing one run on one hit with six strikeouts. Michael Wacha relieved and kept Brazil scoreless through six.
Brazil mounted a comeback in the seventh, scoring three runs on a Leonardo Reginatto single, Lucas Rojo RBI single, and Victor Mascai's two-run homer off Wacha, narrowing the gap to 7-4. In the eighth, Roman Anthony's RBI single made it 8-4, but Ramirez's second solo homer off Gabe Speier—a 354-foot shot—brought Brazil within three at 8-5.
The ninth inning sealed the game as USA scored seven runs without an extra-base hit, aided by five walks, a balk, and three singles, including Bryce Harper's RBI hit and Anthony's second RBI. Brazil's pitchers issued 17 walks total, leading to the 15-5 final. Ramirez became the youngest player at 20 years and 49 days to hit multiple home runs in a WBC game.
Team USA improves to 1-0 in Pool B and faces Great Britain next, while Brazil plays Italy.