Team USA Defeats Mexico at World Baseball Classic

Skenes' dominant pitching and homers from Judge and Anthony lead USA to victory

Mar. 10, 2026 at 1:35pm

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In a matchup of World Baseball Classic Pool B teams, Team USA defeated Mexico 5-3 on Monday night in Houston. Paul Skenes pitched four shutout innings, while Aaron Judge and Roman Anthony homered to power the American victory. Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran hit two home runs in the losing effort for Mexico.

Why it matters

This was an important early-round game between two of the top teams in Pool B. The win keeps Team USA undefeated at 3-0 in the tournament, while Mexico drops to 2-1. The result could have implications for the final standings and seeding in the knockout rounds.

The details

Skenes was dominant on the mound, allowing just one hit and striking out seven in his World Baseball Classic debut. Judge hit a two-run homer in the third inning to open the scoring, and Anthony followed with a three-run shot in the same frame to give the US a 5-0 lead. Mexico scored single runs in the sixth and eighth innings, but could not complete the comeback.

  • The game was played on Monday, March 10, 2026.
  • Team USA and Mexico faced off at Daikin Park in Houston.

The players

Paul Skenes

The starting pitcher for Team USA, who allowed just one hit over four shutout innings.

Aaron Judge

The New York Yankees slugger hit a two-run homer to give Team USA an early lead.

Roman Anthony

The Boston Red Sox outfielder hit a three-run homer to extend the USA's advantage.

Jarren Duran

The Boston Red Sox outfielder hit two solo home runs for Mexico in the losing effort.

Mark DeRosa

The manager of Team USA, who praised Mexico's team and manager Benji Gil after the game.

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What they’re saying

“It was awesome. Great atmosphere. It was nice to feel like I'm doing something rather than just taking up a hotel room and eating all the free meals.”

— Paul Skenes

“I have a ton of respect for Mexico and [manager] Benji Gil. Their team is a legit team, bottom line. Great game, great atmosphere, ton of respect for them.”

— Mark DeRosa, Team USA Manager

What’s next

Team USA will face Italy in their final Pool B game on Tuesday, March 11 at 9pm EDT. Mexico will battle Italy on Wednesday, March 12 at 7pm EDT.

The takeaway

This was an exciting matchup between two of the top teams in the World Baseball Classic. Team USA's dominant pitching and timely hitting proved to be the difference, but Mexico showed they will be a tough out in the tournament with their strong performance.