World Baseball Classic: United States dominates Cuba 14-2 to reach championship game

The United States is just a win away from successfully defending its World Baseball Classic title.

The U.S. dominated Cuba 14-2 in the WBC semifinals on Sunday at loanDepot Park, thanks largely to a pair of massive home runs from Trea Turner in what was a wild offensive showing from Team USA. They move on to the championship game Tuesday, when they’ll take on either Japan or Mexico in Miami. A win in the final would make the United States just the second two-time winner of the tournament.

In the first inning Sunday, Cuba took an early 1-0 lead after Adam Wainwright walked in Roel Santos. That, however, was about their only high point of the night.

The United States then jumped in the bottom of the inning, when Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer off of Roenis Elias.

In the next inning, Turner hit one of his own deep over the left-field wall.

In the third, Pete Alonso drove in Nolan Arenado after the United States loaded the bases on Carlos Viera. Tim Anderson knocked Kyle Schwarber in with a sacrifice fly to push the lead to four before the end of the inning.

In the fourth, Arenado hit an RBI triple to give the United States another run.

Arenado scored before the end of that inning, too, crossing home on a wild pitch. That pushed the United States to a 7-1 lead.

After Cuba got on the board again with an Andy Ibanez single in the fifth, Goldschmidt hit a two-run single in the bottom of the inning. The United States could've gotten more there but failed to convert and ended the inning with the bases loaded. Arenado left the game after his hand was hit by a pitch that inning, but initial X-rays came back negative.

Turner then hit his second home run of the night — and fourth of the tournament — in the sixth inning. His deep shot to left put the United States up by 10 runs. Mike Trout then hit an RBI double to add another before the inning ended.

Cedric Mullins added a solo shot for good measure in the eighth, and then the United States closed out the final half-inning to take the 12-run win.

Cuba had a solid showing in the WBC, especially in pool play in Taiwan. They went 2-2 to make it out of that round with Italy, then beat Australia in the quarterfinals Wednesday. But on Sunday, Cuba simply couldn't compete with the Americans, who will face either Mexico or Japan (which is searching for a third WBC title) in an effort to defend the WBC title after a six-year layoff.

After Sunday's blowout win, the United States has to be feeling good heading into Tuesday.