USA vs. Cuba live score, updates, highlights from 2023 World Baseball Classic semifinals
Haunted by the moody embrace of the sky above Miami, it wasn’t quite clear when Trea Turner’s plane would land.
But when it did, the rowdy crowd let him — and the state of Florida — know.
Turner’s dying breath propelled the USA into the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic, just two wins away from another waltz with the sterling silver hardware it hoisted in 2017. Next on the list? Cuba, a team brimming with top league talent of their own.
Luis Robert and Yoan Moncada lead a line-up unmatched throughout this year’s tournament. Moncada in particular was immense, entering Sunday’s game with 1,259 OPS.
The winner faces a date with Japan or Mexico in the WBC final. The loser, on the other hand, will face the wrath of narrowly missing out on the greatest game in international baseball.
MORE: Watch USA vs. Cuba in World Baseball Classic Live on fuboTV (Free Trial)
The Sporting News provides live score updates and highlights from USA vs. Cuba in the World Baseball Classic Semifinals. Follow below as SN details the sights and sounds of Sunday’s game in Vice City.
Score USA vs. Cuba
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8th | 9 | f | |
| Cuba | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| USA | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
USA vs. Cuba live updates, highlights from World Baseball Classic
(All times Easter)
9:17 p.m.: Elian Leyva is the next to hit the hill for Team Cuba. He starts his day by getting Betts to pretend to be in shorts.
9:13 p.m.: Bloop Single loads the basics for the Stars and Stripes. Betting on the plate and bringing the top of the order back into the fray. Another pitching change is on the horizon for Cuba.
9:09 p.m.: Alonso gets in first after hitting a single. Looks like DeRosa will trade Anderson for Jeff McNeil. And McNeil makes up for his first appearance in the game by drawing a four-pitch walk.
End of the fifth inning
21:05: Mikolas corners Martinez and ends Cuba’s hopes with two more.
9:03 p.m.: In the end, it doesn’t hurt Cuba. Ibanez splits the infield with a dribbler and hits Moncada. USA 7, Cuba 2
21:01: Moncada’s Conservative call likely saves the US a run. Arruebarrena gets good wood on Mikolas’ fastball, but Moncada stays in third instead of advancing.
8:59 p.m.: Mikolas takes down Despaigne with a dirty breaking ball. Already looking in midseason shape.
8:55 p.m.: Robert can’t control his momentum in time and hits the ground. Great success for Mikolas, who defeats one of Cuba’s most feared attackers.
8:54 p.m.: Miles Mikolas fills in for Wainwright and is immediately greeted with a Moncada double. First extra base hit of the day for the Cubans.
Top of the fifth inning
8:51 p.m.: He elicits faint contact from Smith and causes the Dodgers’ backstop to fly to the right.
8:49 p.m.: Ronald Bolanos is the next man for the Cubans. Pitching was always a challenge against this loaded Stars and Stripes lineup.
8:46 p.m.: Exhilarating base running, a poor carom plate Arenado. This inning is beginning to unravel for the Cubans. USA 7, Cuba 1
8:43 p.m.: With the magic wand or with the glove, Arenado knows how to do it. Uses a shortened swing to put Viera on the line and saunters in for a three-pointer while meeting his MLB teammate Goldschmidt. USA 6, Cuba 1
8:41 p.m.: Goldschmidt takes first place after seeing four pitches miss the zone.
8:39 p.m.: Trout smells like the two strike count. Viera is doing pretty well while at the top of the order.
8:36 p.m.: Betts goes to the dugout for the first time since being grounded.
end of the fourth inning
8:31 p.m.: Trout gets in the way of Santos’ outfield drive and grabs it, throwing Cuba away.
8:30 p.m.: Guibert wins after briefly flashing a stinger past Turner.
8:28 p.m.: Drake lands in Out No. 2.
8:27 p.m.: Ariel Martinez gets good wood on an outside fastball and puts it into right field. However, it falls right into Betts’ grasp.
Top of the fourth inning
8:25 p.m.: Turner ends up in third place. To the fourth!
8:23 p.m.: Anderson shows the strength and sends a ball down the field. Robert comes out under but the USA goes for another run on their lead. USA 5, Cuba 1
8:20 p.m.: Carlos Viera takes the ball for the Cubans. He’ll have his work cut out for him: bases juiced, one gone, and Anderson on the plate.
8:17 p.m.: Alonso’s line drive scores Arenado. If he had hit softer, he probably could have driven another one in. Still, this is another run for US leadership. Romero goes to the shelter. USA 4, Cuba 1
8:15 p.m.: Full count goes towards the Americans, with Smith taking a breaking ball outside the zone. Bases loaded, one gone and Alonso went to the plate.
8:12 p.m.: Slider hits Schwarber, who grabs first base like a champ. Two on the pockets for oncoming batsman Will Smith.
8:10 p.m.: Arenado swipes one in left field for the single. Masterful shot by the modern Brooks Robinson.
8:09 p.m.: Romero whips a full count curveball past Goldschmidt to open the frame. That should give him – and Kuba – some confidence.
8:05 p.m.: Newly promoted Miguel Romero takes the ball for the Cubans. The first thug he faces: Goldy.
end of the third inning
8:02 p.m.: Ibanez’s second at-bat of the day ends with a fly ball out. We’re going back to the States.
8:00 pm: Erisbel Arrubarrena on the plate. Jumps straight out of the inning to Betts for the second time.
7:58 p.m.: Easy Grounder sails on Wainwright, who blows it over Goldschmidt’s head. Ship to second base on E1. A shaky field for Wainwright so far.
7:57 p.m.: Robert shows up to open the third one.
Top of the third inning
7:54 p.m.: Robert runs to the warning lane to reel in Trout’s high fly ball, ending the frame.
7:53 p.m.: Betts strolls into the first after picking up his second hit of the night.
7:52 p.m.: RUN HOME! It’s almost a copy for Trea Turner, who sends a moonshot into orbit to extend the US lead. Phillies fans, it may be time to rejoice. USA 3, Cuba 1
7:51 p.m.: Tim Anderson finishes second for our No. 2.
7:49 p.m.: Luis Robert with a routine grab in midfield to get Pete Alonso out of the way.
end of the second inning
7:45 p.m.: Soft hands from Anderson, who easily gets teammate Moncada’s grounder for the third out. Let’s go to the bottom half.
7:42 p.m.: Anderson with a routine pick for second place. Drake moves up to second, but that’s two down for the Cubans.
7:41 p.m.: Wainwright gets his first K of the day with this patented curveball. Mean.
7:38 p.m.: Good shot from Cuba’s Yadir Drake, who dodges the shift to slip the ball out of infield. They hit where they aren’t, as Yogi Berra would say.
Top of the second inning
7:35 p.m.: Will Smith’s bouncer to second finishes first. As a US fan, you can’t complain.
7:33 p.m.: Four pitch walk for Kyle Schwarber. It looked like Elias had no interest in giving the Phillies batter anything in the strike zone.
7:32 p.m.: Nolan Arenado is on strike for our number 2.
19:30 o’clock: HOME RUN! Paul Goldschmidt shows why he’s the reigning NL MVP by invading Elias’ fastball to send him into the left field bleachers. Big game of (probably) future Hall of Famers. USA 2, Cuba 1
7:28 p.m.: Yoelkis Guibert turns on the afterburner to get to Mike Trout’s Looping Fly Ball. That probably saved a run.
7:26 p.m.: Double up for Mookie Betts, who leads the first inning in style.
end of the first inning
7:23 p.m.: Trea Turner picks up a grounder and shoots the first one. That puts Wainwright out of the inning! It must feel like a win for the Americans who, despite giving up a run, are keeping things tight.
7:22 p.m.: Andy Ibanez hits Anderson one. That’s two away for Wainwright.
7:21 p.m.: Brilliant baseball IQ by Nolan Arenado. Fields the Grounder clean before he fires a bullet at Will Smith for the first time. DeRosa will breathe a side of relief.
7:17 p.m.: Wainwright misses the 3-2 curveball and Kuba opens his scoring vault. 1-0 for the Cubans. Bases still loaded and no outs. Pitching coach Andy Pettitte went to the mound to speak to the experienced ace. Cuba 1, USA 0
7:15 p.m.: Another infield grounder falls under Wainwright’s gauntlet and Luis Robert loads his bases. Three over, no outs and clean-up hitter Alfredo Despaigne goes to the plate.
7:13 p.m.: A helicopter tricks Wainwright into letting Moncada walk in first.
7:10 p.m.: Roel Santos leads for Cuba. Skips a dribble to Tim Anderson in second, but the White Sox infielder fails to hit the ball in time for the first out at Goldschmidt. That’s a duck on the pond for Yoan Moncada.
Top of the first inning
7:08 p.m.: Wainwright warming up on the hill. He’s hoping for a far better result than against Great Britain, where Wainwright conceded a number of goals.
7:05 p.m.: After enlisting the services of six aides last night, DeRosa is hoping to limit the number of pitchers he uses to three. Not much depth in the bullpen, especially given the pitch limits every hurler put on him.
6:50 p.m.: Lots of faith in Wainwright from US skipper Mark DeRosa. As a pitcher, he’s been in every situation imaginable, so Americans put their trust in a savvy veteran:
6:20 p.m.: Here are the USA-Cuba line-ups tonight. Just one change for Americans tonight; Kyle Tucker misses after three goals against Venezuela. Not the strongest matchup against lefties so it makes sense.
6:10 p.m.: A pitching duel in the majors: Roenis Elias takes the ball for Cuba while 41-year-old Adam Wainwright will be on the mound for the USA. Both hurlers have done well at this year’s tournament so far; Elias comes into Sunday with a 2.57 ERA in seven innings while Wainwright carries a 2.25 mark in the category.
Start time USA vs. Cuba
The first pitch for the United States clash with Cuba is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET. They play at LoanDepot Park in Miami, home of the MLB Marlins.