Mexico’s 5-4 victory over Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic on Friday night put it in the semifinals Monday against Shohei Ohtani and Japan.
MIAMI — Trailing late against a star-studded Puerto Rico team, Mexico battled all the way back, stringing together a three-run seventh inning to steal a 5-4 victory in front of a sold-out crowd at LoanDepot Park in Friday night’s quarterfinal.
Mexico advanced into the semifinals for the first time in five World Baseball Classic appearances. It will face Japan in Monday’s semifinal.
Puerto Rico, playing in the wake of Edwin Diaz’s sobering knee injury, jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning against Mexican ace Julio Urias, getting back-to-back home runs by Javier Baez and Eddie Rosario.
