HOUSTON — For twenty years, Mexico had owned Team USA at the World Baseball Classic. On Monday night at Daikin Park, the Americans finally settled the score — in emphatic fashion.
For the first time since 2006, Team USA defeated Mexico in the WBC, riding Paul Skenes’ golden right arm and home runs from Aaron Judge and Roman Anthony to a commanding 5-3 victory in a crucial Pool B showdown in Houston. The win keeps the Americans perfect at 3-0 and firmly in control of their own destiny.
Skenes Announces Himself on the World Stage
If anyone still needed convincing that Paul Skenes is the most feared arm in baseball right now, Monday night removed all doubt. The Pittsburgh Pirates ace was touching 99 mph from the very first pitch, striking out seven Mexican batters across four dominant scoreless innings. Mexico’s hitters looked completely lost, missing nearly half their swings against a combination of elite velocity and a splineball that fell off the table.
“I think it would be hard to find another atmosphere like this outside of a tournament like this,” Skenes said afterwards. “That was cool to be a part of.”
Judge and Anthony Deliver the Knockout Blows
The offence provided Skenes all the cushion he needed in one electric third inning. Aaron Judge got the Americans rolling with a two-run home run to right field, and moments later 21-year-old Roman Anthony went one better — hammering a three-run blast off the upper deck facing in right centre to make it 5-0.
Judge also made his presence felt with the glove, uncorking a laser from right field to gun down a baserunner at third. The three-time MVP is making his WBC debut in 2026, and he’s making it count.
Anthony’s story is perhaps even more remarkable. Three years ago he drove to Miami with friends just to watch the 2023 WBC Championship as a fan. Now he’s delivering clutch hits for Team USA on the same stage — and desperate to flip the script on that painful final.
Mexico Fights Back — But Falls Short
The game wasn’t without its drama. Once Skenes departed, Mexico found their footing. A pair of home runs in the sixth and eighth innings brought them within two and sent the raucous pro-Mexico crowd at Daikin Park back to life. But the Americans held firm, and Garrett Whitlock slammed the door shut in the ninth.
What’s Next
Team USA faces Italy tonight at 9 p.m. ET, with Pool B qualification still to be fully settled. Two of the three unbeaten teams — USA, Italy, and Mexico — advance to the quarterfinals. With the WBC final set for March 17 in Miami, the Americans have the roster, the momentum, and now the belief to go all the way.
The curse is broken. The superteam is rolling. America’s baseball summer — started in March — is very much alive.
— Dugout Chronicle | Your home for sports news that hits different.
