4 takeaways from USA’s victory over Mexico in the World Baseball Classic

Daikin Park, Houston — Three years after upsetting Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, fans of Team Mexico were ready to party again Monday night. Among a sold-out crowd of 41,628 in a sea of ​​green, white and red, Mexican flags were unfurled and the sound of noisemakers filled the air. And then, at least for one round, they stopped. A fifth run in the bottom of the third, thanks to homers from Aaron Judge and Roman Anthony, briefly quieted a rowdy pro-Mexico crowd as Team USA got its revenge, hanging on to win its third straight game to start the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Here are my takeaways: 1. Former U.S. Air Force cadets are proud of their country. Paul Skenes is best remembered in college as the ace who helped LSU win a national championship. But in the previous two years, he was a two-way standout at Air Force, where he won the John Olerud Award as college baseball’s best two-way player in 2022. On Monday, players from the Air Force baseball team were on hand to watch the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner and Air Force product dominate for their country. Skenes took the mound to the sound of the Top Gun anthem, then allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out seven Mexican batters in four scoreless innings. “It’s a source of pride for us on the field, but we have a country behind us,” Skenes said on the FOX broadcast. “It’s heavy. So, it’s not something we take lightly, and it’s just a huge blessing to be able to do it.” The rules state that no pitcher can throw more than 65 pitches in a game in the first round, which is the only reason Skenes did not continue. Skenes and reliever Griffin Jax both attended the Air Force Academy in college, and Jax was the first Air Force Academy graduate in MLB history. Jax came in with the tying run at the plate in the eighth and got a late-inning double play from Alejandro Kirk to keep the U.S. ahead by two for good. “Every guy in this room is proud to represent the United States of America,” DeRosa said. “But the conversations with them were a little different, in that they wanted to represent all the service members and women who protect our freedom every day. They think a little differently.” 2. The U.S. captain swings in with his arm and bat All the momentum was on Mexico’s side from the start after Cal Raleigh struck out the bases loaded to end the first inning and Roman Anthony was hit at home plate on a perfect throw to end the second. The Mexican fans were going crazy after every opportunity. In the third, however, the American captain swung the momentum the other way with his arm and bat. A year after a flexor strain limited his ability to throw and field, Aaron Judge’s arm appeared in perfect condition Monday night when he threw a dart from right field to third base in time to catch Joey Ortiz. Then, late in the period, the three-time MVP started the scoring by taking Jesus Cruz deep the other way for a two-run homer. Typically reserved on the field, Judge turned toward the U.S. dugout halfway down the line and shouted in their direction. Obviously, Judge is fully into this tournament, in which he is participating for the first time. Roman Anthony, 21, is also participating in the tournament for the first time. He followed four batters after Judge’s homer with a three-run shot. Anthony, a late addition to the roster replacing the injured Corbin Carroll, became the youngest player to homer for Team USA in the WBC and gave his team a comfortable 5-0 advantage. That 417-foot blast, which echoed off the banner in front of the second deck, was crucial as the American bats remained silent for the next five innings. 3. Jarren Duran doesn’t let Mexico go down easy In the second inning, Duran’s arm helped keep the game scoreless when he started a perfect relay to bring Anthony to the plate on a double to the right corner by Brice Turang. The rest of the night, it was the left-handed bat that terrorized the American team. Last year, Cubs All-Star Matthew Boyd allowed only two home runs all season to left-handed hitters. Additionally, only three of Duran’s 16 homers came against lefties. The story didn’t matter Monday night, as Duran took Boyd deep in the sixth inning to put Mexico on the board, and then again in the eighth to bring Mexico within two runs. After Skenes’ crushing start, Duran’s performance was a reminder of the firepower of a Mexican team that dominated its first two pool opponents 24-2. Duran was one of the tournament’s best hitters, going 5 for 10 with three home runs. 4. U.S. holds strong for 2023. Mexico had the No. 1 U.S. team entering the tournament, not only beating the U.S. in an 11-5 pool victory three years ago, but also winning each of the last three meetings between the teams in the WBC dating back to 2006. “I remember 2023 very well,” U.S. manager Mark DeRosa said before Monday’s match. “I remember Joey Meneses’ two homers, Randy Arozarena, all that.” With the arm of Paul Skenes, the glove of Bobby Witt Jr. – the Royals shortstop made two miraculous defensive plays, diving to his right and firing across the diamond – and the bats of Judge and Anthony, the United States responded in 2026…and then held on for dear life. The third inning was the only period in which the powerful American offense scored a run. After Skenes left, Mexico mounted a late rally, but fell just short when Garrett Whitlock closed the door in the ninth. 4 ½. What’s next? With a win against Italy on Tuesday, the United States can remain undefeated and win the pool. Mexico faces Italy on Wednesday in its final group match and will need a win to have any chance of progressing.