Team USA won Cuba with a 14-2 semifinal victory on Sunday night at loanDepot park, USA to advance to finals and face the winner of the Mexico-Japan semi finals game on Monday (7 p.m. ET on FS1).
If team USA emerged winner in the final game, they will become back-to-back World Baseball Classic champions.
The only team to win consecutive WBC championships was Japan in 2006 and 2009.
Team USA worked through the top of the first inning Sunday night against Cuba, not knowing if starter Adam Wainwright was going to last. Things changed in the bottom half when reigning National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt brought down the house with a towering shot.
Goldschmidt’s shot was just the beginning of an offensive explosion for team USA, who thumped the Cuban squad 14-2 to punch their ticket to the World Baseball Classic final.
“That was one of my favorite home runs I’ve ever hit in my entire life. We’ve talked about trying to score early. For me, I was very happy to be able to do that. You want to contribute on this team,” he said.
USA vs. Cuba score
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | F | |
| Cuba | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| USA | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | x | 14 |
“They’re swinging the bats good, they’re having fun being around each other, they’re passing the baton, they’re not having selfish ABs, constant pressure… I’m blown away by the way these guys control the strike zone. Trea Turner‘s in the zone right now, hitting everything he sees. [I was] able to get everybody in there, have some fun, relax, and let the pitchers do their thing,” manager Mark DeRosa said.