The World Baseball Classic 2026 featured one of its most anticipated games on March 9, as the United States defeated rival Mexico 5-3 in a high-stakes Pool B showdown at Daikin Park in Houston. This victory marked Team USA’s first win over Mexico in the WBC since 2006, keeping the Americans undefeated at 3-0 and positioning them strongly to advance to the quarterfinals.

The day included action across all four pools. In Tokyo’s Pool C, South Korea beat Australia 7-2 to strengthen their position. In Miami’s Pool D, the Dominican Republic dominated Israel 10-1, while Venezuela shut out Nicaragua 4-0. San Juan’s Pool A saw Colombia edge Panama 4-3 and Puerto Rico defeat Cuba 4-1, maintaining tight races in those groups. In Houston, Great Britain topped Brazil 8-1 earlier in the day.

The main event in Houston lived up to the hype with an electric atmosphere split between “U-S-A!” chants and passionate Mexico supporters. Paul Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, made his WBC debut and delivered a dominant performance: four shutout innings, one hit allowed, seven strikeouts, and just one walk. Aaron Judge sparked the offense with a two-run homer in the third inning—his second of the tournament—plus a strong outfield assist to cut off a rally. Roman Anthony added a three-run homer in the same frame to give the U.S. a 5-0 lead.

Mexico fought back with power from Jarren Duran, who hit two home runs (including one in the eighth to make it 5-3). Joey Meneses contributed key hits, but the U.S. bullpen held firm. Garrett Whitlock closed it out by striking out the side in the ninth after Mexico got the tying run on base, securing the hard-fought win.

Other notable performances included strong pitching in Puerto Rico’s win over Cuba and the Dominican Republic’s continued dominance. Broadcasts on FOX, FS1, FS2, FOX Deportes, and Tubi captured the global excitement, with packed crowds adding to the playoff-like intensity.

As pools near their end, the United States looks locked in for the quarterfinals starting March 13-14, while Mexico (now 2-1) still has a path forward. The day highlighted why the WBC delivers elite baseball—star power, rivalries, and drama on every pitch.