HOUSTON \u2014 The United States<\/a> drew 17 walks and cracked 10 hits en route to a 15\u20135 rout of Brazil in the nightcap of Day One of Pool B in the 2026 World Baseball Classic<\/a> Friday. Brazil made a valiant showing, led by two homers from Lucas Ramirez<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 son of Manny Ramirez<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n A towering Aaron Judge<\/a><\/strong> two-run homer to left-center gave the United States a 2\u20130 lead in the top of the first. Lucas Ramirez \u2014 son of 19-year major leaguer and 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez \u2014 led off the bottom of the first with a homer to right-center, cutting the lead to 2\u20131. Kyle Schwarber<\/a><\/strong> scored from third on a one-out walk-wild pitch combo drawn by Cal Raleigh<\/a><\/strong> to make it 3\u20131 in the third.<\/p>\n The gap widened with one out in the top of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Byron Buxton<\/a><\/strong> took a pitch off the hand for a painful RBI. After being checked by the medical staff, he stayed in the game, turning a nervous silence into cheers as the score became 4\u20131. Brice Turang<\/a><\/strong> followed with a bases-clearing double off the high fence in left, making it 7\u20131. A walk by Bobby Witt, an infield-fly-rule out, and a successful double steal put runners on second and third with two outs for Judge. Brazil escaped further damage as Judge flied to shallow right, retiring the side.<\/p>\n Brazil used a three-run seventh to claw back to within striking distance. All three runs came with two outs. The first came on an RBI Lucas Rojo<\/a><\/strong> single. The next two came on a homer to left-center by Victor Mascai<\/a><\/strong>. These made the score 7\u20134.<\/p>\n The teams exchanged runs in the eighth. The United States tallied theirs on an RBI single to right by Roman Anthony<\/a><\/strong>. Brazil scratched theirs on another homer from Ramirez, his second of the game.<\/p>\n The United States turned it into a blowout in the ninth, adding seven runs to make the score 15\u20135. But with Brazil being the home team for this game, they still had to bat. And since it was the ninth, the run rule was irrelevant. Closer Mason Miller<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 who was going to pitch the ninth no matter what the score, according to manager Mark DeRosa<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 struck out the side in a 1\u20132\u20133 ninth to cement the win.<\/p>\n The United States didn\u2019t merely win \u2014 they waited <\/em>their way to a blowout. Their 17 walks set, to the recollection of DeRosa, a World Baseball Classic record.<\/p>\n Brazil\u2019s lack of command repeatedly opened doors. The United States turned free passes into runs in multiple innings \u2014 including a walk\u2011wild pitch combo in the third and the bases\u2011loaded hit\u2011by\u2011pitch in the fifth. Brice Turang\u2019s bases\u2011clearing double came immediately after another walk extended the inning.<\/p>\n The United States could have put Brazil away earlier. They left 13 men on base, with 11 in scoring position. This could have given them a mercy-rule win, which would have saved some relievers for later games. \u201cWe left a small village on base,\u201d DeRosa bluntly stated.<\/p>\n The score was 8\u20135 heading into the top of the ninth \u2014 certainly within striking distance.<\/p>\n Brazil didn\u2019t back down from elite hurlers. Lucas Ramirez jumped on a hanging sinker from Logan Webb<\/a><\/strong>, homering on the second pitch he saw. Later, Victor Mascai punished a missed heater from Michael Wacha<\/a><\/strong> for a two\u2011run shot. DeRosa specifically credited Brazil\u2019s hitters for capitalizing on those mistakes, saying Wacha \u201cmissed two heaters over the heart of the plate that kept them in it.\u201d<\/p>\nUnited States \u2013 Brazil Game Summary<\/h3>\n
A Second Homer for Ramirez before the Game Gets Out of Hand<\/h4>\n
What Went Right for the United States<\/h3>\n
Patience at the Plate<\/h4>\n
Capitalized on Opponent Mistakes<\/h4>\n
What Went Wrong for the United States<\/h3>\n
Left \u201ca Small Village\u201d on Base<\/h4>\n
What Went Right for Brazil<\/h3>\n
Stayed Close until the Ninth<\/h4>\n
Got Some Big Hits Off Big-time Pitching<\/h4>\n
Lucas Ramirez<\/h4>\n