Venezuela extended its winning streak in the VI World Baseball Classic by defeating Nicaragua 4-0 on Monday in its third tournament appearance. The Group D match, played in Miami (USA), secured its place in the quarterfinals. The Venezuelan team finished the group stage with a 3-0 record, the same as the Dominican Republic, which it will face next Wednesday. In Monday's game at loanDepot Park, standout performance came from Venezuelan Ronald Acuña Jr., who went 3-for-3 with a home run, 2 runs scored, and 2 RBIs. His teammate Wilyer Abreu also excelled with a sacrifice fly that brought in the team's fourth run. Previously in the VI World Baseball Classic, Venezuela had beaten Israel and the Netherlands. For Nicaragua, it was the opposite, as they suffered their fourth consecutive defeat after losing to Israel, the Dominican Republic, and the Netherlands.
The Monday action in Group D began with the stellar performance of Fernando Tatis Jr., who hit a grand slam to lead the Dominican Republic to a 10-1 victory over Israel and secure a spot in the quarterfinals. The team, managed by Albert Pujols, achieved its third straight win, secured its passage to the next round, and in the process, gave a helping hand to Venezuela, which also advanced without playing. To determine the top of Group D and find out their opponent in the quarterfinals (South Korea or Japan), the Dominicans and Venezuelans will face off in the main game on Wednesday. With two outs, Tatis Jr. hit a grand slam to left field in the second inning, allowing Carlos Santana, Oneil Cruz, and Geraldo Perdomo to score, putting his team up 5-0. According to MLB data, Tatis Jr.'s home run, which punished an 78.7 mph changeup from Israel's left-handed starter Ryan Prager and left his bat at 104.9 mph, traveling 400 feet, is the first grand slam in the history of the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. And as if that wasn't enough, Tatis Jr. later followed up with a two-run single.
