A day after a dominant pitching performance on the road to a victory against NicaraguaTeam Israel lost to the Dominican Republic 10-1 on Monday in a Pool D game of the World Baseball Classic at LoanDepot Park in Miami, falling to 1-2 in pool play.
Israel struggled early after San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. delivered the decisive blow in the second inning with a grand slam to left field, putting the Dominican Republic ahead 5-0.
The Dominicans added another run in the fourth inning when Oneil Cruz launched a solo homer to right-center field, extending the lead to 6-0.
Israel's only run came in the bottom of the fourth inning. Spencer Horwitz got Israel on the board with a home run to right center, briefly cutting the deficit to five runs.
Despite the spark, Israel's offense struggled to generate sustained pressure. The team finished the game with just two hits, while Dominican pitchers largely contained Israeli batters throughout the contest.
The Dominican Republic added insurance runs later in the game, including a two-run single by Tatis Jr. in the seventh inning and extra runs in the eighth and ninth to seal the 10-1 victory.
Ryan Prager took the loss for Israel after allowing an early surge that gave the Dominican Republic control of the match. Several Israeli relievers entered the later innings in an attempt to limit further damage.
Israel showed flashes defensively, turning double plays in the middle of the inning and keeping the Dominican lineup scoreless for several frames. However, the initial deficit proved too large to be filled.
The defeat leaves Israel with a 1-2 record in Pool D, having already secured automatic qualification for the next WBC with Sunday's victory over Nicaragua. The team will conclude their group stage schedule on Tuesday with a match against the Netherlands, as they look to finish the pool on a high note.
