New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells hit a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning on Friday night, giving the Dominican Republic a 10-0 victory over South Korea in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals in Miami.
The home run pushed the lead to double digits, immediately ending the game under the tournament’s designated rout rule. Wells entered the game as a defensive replacement before hitting a first-pitch cutter from South Korean pitcher Hyeong Jun So into the second deck.
Dominican starting pitcher Christopher Sánchez earned the win. Sánchez struck out eight batters over five scoreless innings, allowing two hits.
With the victory, the undefeated Dominican Republic advances to the semifinals this Sunday in Miami. The team will face either the United States or Canada as they seek their first international sports championship since winning the World Baseball Classic in 2013.
The Dominican roster has outscored opponents 51-10 over five games. Wells’ walk-off was the team’s 14th home run of the tournament, officially tying the all-time single-tournament team record established by Mexico in 2009. Teammate Fernando Tatis Jr. drove in two runs against South Korea, bringing his tournament total to 11 RBIs.
Wells was born in Scottsdale, Arizona, and raised in the United States. He is eligible to play for the Dominican Republic under the World Baseball Classic’s heritage rules because both of his maternal grandparents were born in the country.