Team USA has asserted its dominance in Pool B as Aaron Judge and Paul Skenes led the charge in a commanding 5-3 victory over rivals Mexico at Daikin Park.

The showdown in Houston saw the United States take revenge for past tournament heartbreaks, moving to a 3-0 record in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Aaron Judge set the tone early, continuing his torrid start to the tournament with a massive opposite-field two-run home run that electrified the sellout crowd.

On the mound, Paul Skenes lived up to the immense hype, delivering a lights-out performance just months after securing the National League Cy Young Award.

USA’s offense struck gold in the third inning when Bryce Harper reached base, setting the stage for Judge to launch his second home run of the 2026 tournament.

Shortly after Judge’s blast, Red Sox standout Roman Anthony broke the game open with a three-run shot to the second deck, extending the American lead to 5-0.

Mexico refused to go quietly, however, as Jarren Duran sparked a late-inning rally with two home runs of his own, narrowing the gap and keeping the pressure on the USA bullpen.

Despite the late surge from the Mexican side, the U.S. pitching depth proved too much, with Matthew Boyd and Mason Miller combining to shut the door late on.

For Skenes, the night was a confirmation of his status as the new face of American pitching, following Tarik Skubal’s dominant outing against Great Britain just 48 hours earlier.

While Skenes took center stage on the field, one notable absence in the stands was his partner, social media sensation and former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne.

Dunne, who has been a constant presence at Skenes’ MLB starts, was unable to attend the Houston clash due to a prior commitment.

More to follow…