Ozzie Albies hit a game-winning three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the Netherlands over Nicaragua on Saturday in Miami.
The Netherlands began its two-out rally on Ceddanne Rafaela’s single against reliever Angel Obando. Xander Bogaerts doubled, advancing Rafaela to third before Albies hit Obando’s first pitch over the wall in right.
The Netherlands improved to 1-1 in Group D. Nicaragua dropped to 0-2.
Jeter Downs hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth to put Nicaragua ahead 3-1. He drove a sinker from Netherlands reliever Lars Huijer over the wall in left-center. Huijer threw two innings of relief for the win.
The Netherlands stranded 14 baserunners and was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position before Albies’ homer.
Rafaela, Bogaerts and Druw Jones all had two hits for the Netherlands.
Nicaragua starter Erasmo Ramirez plunked Albies with the bases loaded in the third, giving the Netherlands a 1-0 lead. Ramirez allowed one run and five hits over five innings, while Netherlands starter Jaitoine Kelly threw two scoreless innings.
OZZIE ALBIES!
A #WORLDBASEBALLCLASSIC WALK-OFF HOMER FOR TEAM NETHERLANDS 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/T2HRyL233M
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 7, 2026
Naylor brothers’ defense, Caissie’s 2-run HR lead Canada over Colombia
A run-saving defensive play by brothers Josh and Bo Naylor boosted Canada in the first inning at San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Owen Caissie hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the second off emergency starter Austin Bergner as Canada downed Colombia 8-2.
Julio Teheran was a last-minute scratch as Colombia’s starting pitcher, leaving 35-year-old Bergner, who last pitched in MLB in 2024, to take on the short-notice start after Teheran felt right shoulder impingement while warming up.
Canada won its opener while Colombia dropped to 0-2 in Group A.
Michael Arroyo led off the game with a single off Michael Soroka, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Reynaldo Rodriguez grounded to first baseman Josh Naylor, who threw to brother Bo at the plate for the tag.
That was one of four Colombia outs on the bases. Rodriguez and Jesus Marriaga were caught stealing by Bo Naylor, and Daniel Vellojin was thrown out trying to reach second on a dropped fly ball in the ninth inning.
Arroyo cut Colombia’s deficit with an RBI single in the third off Soroka, who allowed four hits over three innings for the win. Abraham Toro restored a two-run lead with a bases-loaded walk in the bottom half from Emerson Martinez.
Josh Naylor had a run-scoring single in the seventh that drove in Denzel Clarke, a cousin, after Marriaga dropped Clarke’s fly to right for an error.
Harold Ramirez had an RBI double in the eighth. With two on and two outs, Gio Urshela swung and missed at three straight sliders from Eric Cerantola.
Toro had an RBI triple in a four-run bottom half and scored on Bo Naylor’s single.
Phillippe Aumont, who last pitched in the major leagues in 2015, struck out Tito Polo for the final out.
