Mexico Dominates Team USA 11-5 Behind Joey Meneses' Two-Home Run Performance

Mexico secured a decisive 11-5 victory over Team USA in World Baseball Classic pool play, fueled by Joey Meneses' five RBIs and a strong start from Patrick Sandoval.

Mexico secured an 11-5 victory over Team USA in front of a record-breaking crowd of 47,534 at Chase Field during World Baseball Classic pool play. Joey Meneses spearheaded the offensive onslaught by going 3-for-5 with two home runs and five runs batted in. The first blow occurred in the opening frame when Meneses launched a two-run shot off American starter Nick Martinez, who surrendered three earned runs across 2.2 innings of work. Mexico’s lead expanded significantly in the fourth inning as Meneses connected for his second homer, a three-run blast that cleared the left-field wall to make the score 7-1.

Left-hander Patrick Sandoval earned the win for Mexico, stifling the American lineup by allowing just one run on two hits over 3.0 innings. The United States struggled to capitalize on opportunities, finishing the night 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Mike Trout went hitless in three at-bats with two strikeouts, while Mookie Betts finished 0-for-5. Tim Anderson provided a rare highlight for the home side, recording two hits and three RBIs, including a two-run single in the eighth inning that briefly narrowed the deficit.

Randy Arozarena contributed heavily to the Mexican box score, finishing 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI. His double in the eighth inning sparked a four-run rally that effectively ended any hopes of an American comeback. On the mound for the U.S., the bullpen struggled to contain the momentum; Brady Singer allowed four runs on four hits in just two innings of relief. Mexico outhit the United States 15 to 8, marking one of the most lopsided results in the history of this international rivalry.

Defensively, Mexico remained sharp, committing zero errors compared to a clean sheet from the Americans. The Mexican pitching staff combined for seven strikeouts, with Javier Assad providing three crucial scoreless innings of relief to bridge the gap to the closing pitchers. Will Smith accounted for the first American run with a solo home run in the second inning, but the squad could not string together consecutive hits until the game was largely out of reach. This result moved both teams to a 1-1 record in Group C standings.

Rowdy Tellez added to the damage in the eighth with a two-run single, punishing a tiring American relief corps. The game lasted three hours and forty-one minutes, characterized by frequent pitching changes and a high pitch count for the U.S. staff. Mexico's victory snapped a winning streak for the Americans in pool play dating back to the previous tournament. The 11 runs allowed by the United States represented their highest total surrendered in a single WBC game since 2009.

Alan Trejo and Alek Thomas also recorded multi-hit games for the visiting side, ensuring that every part of the Mexican batting order reached base at least once. For the United States, Paul Goldschmidt reached base twice via walks but failed to record a hit in his three official plate appearances. The loss placed significant pressure on the upcoming American fixtures against Canada and Colombia to ensure advancement to the quarterfinal round in Miami. Manager Mark DeRosa utilized seven different pitchers in an attempt to halt the Mexican scoring, but the opposition maintained a .429 batting average with runners on base throughout the contest.