Austin Wells' lone homer puts Dominicans in WBC semifinals

Wells' 3-run blast in 7th inning ends game early, breaks tournament home run record

Mar. 14, 2026 at 7:33am

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Austin Wells hit a game-ending 3-run homer in the 7th inning to lead the Dominican Republic to a 10-0 rout of South Korea, sending the Dominicans to the World Baseball Classic semifinals. Wells' blast was the 14th home run for the Dominican team in the tournament, tying the WBC record set by Mexico in 2009.

Why it matters

The Dominican Republic has a star-studded lineup featuring players like Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. Despite the big names, it was the relatively unknown Wells who delivered the decisive blow to send his team to the semifinals.

The details

Wells' 3-run homer in the 7th inning came on the first pitch he saw, driving the ball off the front of the second deck in right field to end the game early under the tournament's rout rule. The Dominicans have displayed plenty of power and exuberance in the WBC so far, but the more subdued Wells said he hasn't been one for big bat flips.

  • The game took place on Friday, March 14, 2026.
  • Wells' game-ending homer came in the 7th inning.

The players

Austin Wells

A player for the Dominican Republic national team who hit the game-ending 3-run homer to send his team to the WBC semifinals.

Juan Soto

A star slugger on the Dominican Republic national team.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

A star slugger on the Dominican Republic national team.

Fernando Tatis Jr.

A star slugger on the Dominican Republic national team.

Junior Caminero

A player on the Dominican Republic national team.

Oneil Cruz

A player on the Dominican Republic national team.

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What they’re saying

“Trying to win today and be able to move to the next round was the goal. Being able to help out today and be part of it was a lot of fun. Definitely a special moment.”

— Austin Wells

“The experience has been incredible. It's been an unbelievable honor being able to represent my family and the country of the Dominican. It's something that I'm never going to forget and hopefully I'll have the opportunity again.”

— Austin Wells

“I haven't been one for big bat flips in my career. I'm taking notes. A lot of the times I just black out when I hit a home run. It's been hard for me to show some sort of emotion. Maybe next time.”

— Austin Wells

“This is something special for us because we are a very united team, compact team. You can feel the emotion, the energy in the clubhouse. We work as a team. This is something very special to us. Now we have to focus on the next rival on Sunday, and to continue playing like we have been doing so far.”

— Junior Caminero, Player, Dominican Republic national team

What’s next

The Dominican Republic will face the United States in the WBC semifinals on Sunday, March 16, 2026.

The takeaway

Despite having a star-studded lineup, it was the relatively unknown Austin Wells who delivered the decisive blow to send the Dominican Republic to the WBC semifinals, tying the tournament home run record in the process. The Dominicans' power and team chemistry have been on full display throughout the tournament.