Team USA has advanced to the World Baseball Classic final following a 2-1 victory over the Dominican Republic, but the game concluded under a cloud of controversy. The high-stakes semifinal matchup at LoanDepot Park ended on a called strike three against Geraldo Perdomo that appeared to be outside the strike zone.
The decision, which came with the tying run on base in the bottom of the ninth inning, immediately sparked criticism regarding the officiating. "That game cannot end like that. A shame," per @JeffPassan. With the victory, the United States moves on to the championship round to face the winner of the Venezuela-Italy semifinal, while the Dominican Republic has been eliminated from the tournament.
The contest featured a dominant performance from pitcher Paul Skenes, who limited the Dominican lineup to just one run over 4.1 innings of work. Junior Caminero provided the only scoring for the Dominican Republic with a solo home run in the defeat. Despite the high-level play from both rosters, the final strike call against Geraldo Perdomo remains the primary talking point of the semifinal.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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