Cristopher Sánchez makes history with four strikeouts in the World Baseball Classic
MIAMI – Dominican pitcher Cristopher Sánchez left an indelible mark on baseball history on Friday night, achieving an unusual four-strikeout inning during the game between the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, held at loanDepot park in Miami.
The Dominican lefty started the game by striking out the first Nicaraguan batter, Chase Dawson, although he reached first base due to a wild pitch. Nicaragua’s offense took advantage of the situation and generated danger with consecutive hits by Benjamín Alegría and Ismael Munguía, added to a walk given to Mark Vientos, loading the bases with no outs and taking the lead.
But Sánchez responded with determination. The Philadelphia Phillies’ opener dominated the next three batters, striking them all out: Omar Mendoza, Emanuel Trujillo, and Melvin Novoa.
With this performance, Sánchez became the first pitcher in World Baseball Classic history to complete an inning with four strikeouts, an uncommon feat that occurs when a batter reaches base after a dropped third strike.
The exciting episode marked the beginning of a game full of emotions between both teams, before a large attendance of fans in Miami.
Despite his historic performance, the Dominican’s participation on the mound was brief. Sánchez left the game after pitching only 1.1 innings, in which he allowed two earned runs and six hits.
