Record Crowd For Dominican Republic-U.S. Gives Postseason Feel

The Dominican Republic last night defeated the U.S. 7-5 in the World Baseball Classic before a crowd of 37,446, the "largest ever for a baseball game" at Marlins Park. The fans were "largely in favor of the Dominican Republic" and "provided a postseason type atmosphere" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/11). It was "hard to know by sight or sound which was the home team" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/12). The game had been "sold out for weeks." A "good number" of the fans "brought drums, horns and anything else that made noise" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 3/11).

ESPN.com's David Schoenfield wrote the game was "exactly the kind of dramatic affair the WBC needed to bring more attention to the rest of the tournament" (ESPN.com, 3/12). The WASHINGTON POST's Dave Sheinin wrote there was "no better advertisement for the WBC" than this game (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 3/11). The DETROIT FREE PRESS' Anthony Fenech wrote Game 7 of the World Series was the "loudest I had ever heard a stadium. ... until Saturday night" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 3/12).

Meanwhile, the U.S. "faces a precarious position" needing to win against Canada today to assure advancement in the tournament (ESPN.com, 3/11).