HOUSTON -- The United States survived a late rally from a resilient Mexican squad on Sunday night, holding on for a 5-3 victory at Daikin Park to remain unbeaten through three games of Pool B play at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

The story of the evening began on the mound, where Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes reminded the baseball world why he won the National League Cy Young Award last season. Skenes was dominant in his four-inning start, striking out seven batters while allowing just one hit and one walk. He consistently touched 98.9 mph on his fastball and topped out at a blistering 99.7 mph, keeping Mexican hitters off balance from the first pitch to his last.

But it was the American bats that broke the game open in the bottom of the third inning in spectacular fashion. With Bryce Harper aboard, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge crushed a two-run home run to put the United States ahead 2-0. The crowd at Daikin Park had barely settled back into their seats when Boston Red Sox phenom Roman Anthony stepped to the plate with Kyle Schwarber and Cal Raleigh on base and sent a towering blast into the second deck in right field. The three-run shot ballooned the lead to 5-0 and sent the American faithful into a frenzy.

For five innings, it appeared the game was well in hand. But Mexico, riding the emotion of a passionate fan base and the pride of representing their country on the international stage, refused to go quietly.

Jarren Duran, the dynamic outfielder who plays for the Boston Red Sox at the major league level, single-handedly dragged Mexico back into contention. Duran launched his first home run in the later innings to cut into the deficit, then connected again in the eighth inning to pull Mexico within two runs at 5-3. Suddenly, the comfortable American lead felt razor thin.

The ninth inning brought genuine drama. Closer Garrett Whitlock took the mound for Team USA and immediately surrendered a leadoff single to veteran Joey Meneses. With the tying run now representing at the plate, the tension inside Daikin Park was palpable. But Whitlock steadied himself, retiring the next three Mexican batters in order to secure the hard-fought victory and preserve the unblemished record for the Americans.

With the win, Team USA moved to 3-0 in pool play with one game remaining, all but guaranteeing their advancement to the quarterfinal round of the 20-team tournament. The 2026 World Baseball Classic, which opened on March 5 across four host cities including Miami, Houston, San Juan, and Tokyo, will crown its champion on March 17 at loanDepot Park in Miami.

Elsewhere in the tournament on Sunday, South Korea punched its ticket to the quarterfinals with a convincing 7-2 win over Australia at the Tokyo Dome, while the Dominican Republic and Venezuela also advanced from their respective pools.

For Team USA, the message is clear: this roster, loaded with MVP-caliber talent and Cy Young-winning arms, is built to win it all. But as Mexico proved on Sunday night, no game at the World Baseball Classic is ever truly over until the final out is recorded.