Venezuela’s Six-Run First Inning Buries Dominican Republic in U-18 Qualifier
Venezuela beat the Dominican Republic 11-3 behind a six-run first inning on October 28, improving to 3-1 before the final U-18 World Cup qualifier games.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
Venezuela scored six runs in the first inning and beat host Dominican Republic 11-3 on Wednesday, October 28, in the WBSC Americas U-18 Baseball Pan-American Championship in Boca Chica. The result lifted Venezuela to 3-1 in the Super Round and left the Dominicans at 1-3 with one day remaining to secure one of four places at the 2027 U-18 Baseball World Cup.
The defeat was especially costly for the home side after it had rallied past Nicaragua 9-3 earlier in the day. Venezuela, meanwhile, followed its 4-0 victory over Panama with another emphatic result, strengthening its position before a final-day meeting with unbeaten United States.
Six runs before the first inning was over
Venezuela sent 11 batters to the plate in the opening inning against the Dominican Republic. Dominican starter Yandel Gómez failed to record an out, allowing three earned runs on one hit and a walk before the hosts turned to their bullpen.
The Dominicans answered when Leanders Matos hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first. They added two more runs in the third on Jheudy Guzmán’s sacrifice fly and Israel Guerrero’s run-scoring single, but the early deficit left little margin for error.
Venezuela removed any remaining doubt with five runs in the fourth, sending nine batters to the plate in the inning to extend its lead to 11-3.
Winning pitcher Raymer Alexander Moreno Fernández worked 2 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and three earned runs while walking two and striking out two. The Dominican Republic’s pitching staff never recovered from Venezuela’s opening surge.
Four World Cup places still to be decided
The final Super Round games on Thursday, October 29, will determine which four teams advance to the 2027 U-18 Baseball World Cup in China. The United States leads the standings at 3-0 after beating Puerto Rico 16-1, followed by Venezuela at 3-1 and Puerto Rico at 2-1. Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Panama are all 1-3.
Venezuela faces the United States on Thursday, while the Dominican Republic meets Puerto Rico. With the qualification race still unsettled, Wednesday’s eight-run victory gives Venezuela a substantially stronger position than the hosts heading into the final games.
