Prior to their matchup, the Dominican Republic hadn't scored fewer than seven runs in a game all tournament long. They had led the WBC with 52 runs - 10 more than the USA, who scored the second-most (42).
The USA beat Puerto Rico 8-0 in the 2017 final, they then lost 3-2 to Japan in the 2023 final.
They will face the winner between Venezuela and Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic final - both teams looking for their first WBC final appearance ever. Italy had already upset the USA during the Pool stage when they won 8-6 in what was considered the biggest upset in World Baseball Classic history.
Recap and highlights
The game started out with no runs in the first despite the USA having a chance with runners on first and second with two outs. Just like the DR in the bottom of the first, the Americans would also go 1-2-3 to start the top of the second inning.
Then, the Dominicans got on the board first in the bottom of the second with a solo home run from Junior Caminero, his third of the tournament, to go up 1-0.
Caminero's homer marked 15 total for the Dominican - the most ever by a team in World Baseball Classic history.
DR starting pitcher Luis Severino found himself in a hole during the top half of the third inning
After surrendering a single to Bobby Witt Jr. and a double to Bryce Harper, the veteran pitcher had runners on second and third with one out. But he managed after pulling two clutch strikeouts, with the first on reigning MLB American League MVP Aaron Judge and the second on National League home run leader Kyle Schwarber.
In the bottom of the third, Skenes would strike out Austin Wells, then proceed to hit Geraldo Perdomo to put a runner on first with one out.
Fernando Tatis Jr. grounded into a force out for the second out of the inning before Ketel Marte would hit a line drive to right field at Judge, who gunned down Tatis at third base for the final out, saving what could've potentially led to another run for the DR.
Then, the American bats came alive in the top of the fourth.
On a full count, Gunnar Henderson would skyrocket his fourth home run of the tournament to tie it all up for the US 1-1.
Following a line-out from Will Smith, Severino's night for the DR would end after 3.1 innings. He gave up the lone run on five hits and six strikeouts without walking a single batter.
The USA would keep the bombs firing off after Venezuela reliever Gregory Soto entered the game for Severino.
On the first batter he faced, Soto gave up a solo home run to Roman Anthony, his second of the tournament, as the USA took a 2-1 lead.
The 2025 rookie for the Boston Red Sox continues to be dominant in the WBC, as his other home run brought in three runs in the USA's much-needed win over Mexico during the Pool stage.
Soto wouldn't last much longer on the mound. He followed up the home run by striking out Brice Turang, but would commit a throwing error that led to the American Pete Crow-Armstrong reaching first safely, ultimately ending his short night.
The fourth continued to be a moment in the game that had all fans on the edge of their seats.
Following a Juan Soto line-out, Skenes would give up a double to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed by a single from Manny Machado, which would've scored Vlady had Witt not been able to knock the ball down on a diving stop.
Caminero would be next up to bat as he would hit into a force out, putting him and Vlady on the corners with two outs. But Skenes would hit his second batter of the game in Julio Rodriguez to load the bases up, putting the entire ballpark on their feet as Austin Wells had a chance to cement himself in Dominican baseball history.
But no dice, sending the game into the fifth inning.
Skenes showed the world why he's the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner.
Nothing would be going for the USA in the top of the fifth.
However, Judge would smack a deep shot to center field that looked to be a guaranteed home run. That is, until Rodriguez, going back out onto the field after being hit by Skenes' pitch, would rob Judge of the home to keep the game at 2-1.
Skenes' night would be over with after recording the first out of the bottom of the fifth inning and giving up back-to-back singles to Tatis and Marte. He finished his second, also his last, appearance of the WBC, giving up just one run on six hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
Tyler Rogers, who just joined the team, would force Soto into a double play to end the inning, having thrown only two pitches.
Huascar Brazoban would send the USA down 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth, while Griffin Jax (USA) would come in for Rogers and do the same to the Dominican lineup in the bottom half of the inning on just seven pitches.
Abner Uribe would replace Brazoban and send the USA down 1-2-3 once more in the top of the seventh inning, giving his boys a chance to tie things up - and the Dominicans delivered.
Following a pop-out from Rodriguez, Wells would hit a double into deep right-center with just one out to put the tying run on second. Perdomo would single to center, putting him and Wells at the corner, before stealing a base with Tatis up to bat.
But on a 1-2 count, USA's David Bednar would send him down on strikeout to make it two outs on the inning before doing the same to Marte on a disgusting breaking pitch in some of the most clutch pitching of the entire tournament.
Seranthony Dominguez would come in for Uribe on the mound, shutting down the USA, as did the American's Garrett Whitlock to the DR in the bottom of the eighth after he came in for Bednar, sending the DR batters down 1-2-3.
At that point, the DR bullpen had given up just two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts through 4.2 innings. As for the USA, they were the same, giving up just two hits with no walks and four strikeouts through 3.2 innings.
Thanks to a near-flawless 1-2-3 inning from the DR's Camilo Doval on the mound, their bullpen numbers bumped up to 5.2 innings with two hits, two walks, and nine strikeouts without allowing a single run heading into the top of the ninth inning.
The DR had one last chance, but they came up against the most intimidating closer in all of baseball in Mason Miller - who sealed the door shut on the Dominican's hopes of going back to their first World Baseball Classic final since 2013.
Things looked dicey after he walked Rodriguez, who advanced to second base on a passed ball. Miller would get Oneil Cruz out on a grounder to make it two on the inning, but Rodriguez advanced to third, leaving Perdomo the chance to keep things alive. But Miller got it done, striking him out on a 3-2 count in eight pitches.