Paul Skenes' Seething Slider Stuns WCJB in 9-0 Victory!
Team USA starting pitcher Paul Skenes, in perhaps the most clutch pitching performance by anyone in the 2026 World Baseball Classic , limited a powerful Dominican Republic lineup to one run in 4. 1 innings Sunday. Home runs by Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony held up, and the United States hung on for a 2-1 victory.
MORE: Japan makes big change immediately after shocking WBC loss Afterward, in a postgame interview with Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, Skenes revealed a “heavy” message he received from a former Air Force Academy teammate earlier in the day. “I don’t know where he’s stationed right now but he said he was going to wake up at 3 a. m.
to watch the game,” Skenes told Rosenthal. “Puts it into perspective — if this isn’t perspective enough already. It’s heavy stuff.
For us playing a game, against a bunch of people that we know and we play all the time, it’s heavy. It’s an absolute honor to be able to do it. ” Solid performance from Paul Skenes as he leaves the game with a lead pic.
twitter. com/Uya1ajMABt — FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 16, 2026 Skenes, the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner, was tabbed to start for the U. S.