Team USA to Face Dominican Republic with Semifinal Spot on the Line

The winner will face the loser of Japan and Korea on Thursday, August 5

YOKOHAMA, Japan -- Team USA (2-1) will face the Dominican Republic (2-2) on Wednesday, August 4, at 12 p.m. JST/Tuesday, August 3, at 11 p.m. EDT/8 p.m. PDT with a spot in the second semifinal on the line at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games baseball tournament. Fans in the U.S. can watch it live on NBCOlympics.com or the NBC Sports App. The winner of this matchup will advance to face the loser of Japan and Korea on Thursday, August 5, at 7 p.m./6 a.m. EDT/3 a.m. PDT. The loser will advance directly into the bronze medal game on Saturday. Scott Kazmir (0-0) will make his Olympic debut starting on the mound for the U.S. The Dominican Republic will give the ball to Denyi Reyes (0-0). Wednesday's matchup will be the third all-time meeting in Olympic Games history between the two countries, with Team USA holding a 2-0 advantage. The last match-up was during the Barcelona 1992 games when lefty Jeff Alkire hurled a complete game, two-hit shutout for Team USA in a game that was called due to run-rule in the seventh inning. Alkire faned six in the effort, his second win of the Olympic Games. Calvin Murray sparked the Americans with three hits and Chad McConnell picked up three RBIs. Jason Varitek chipped-in two hits and scored twice. Dominican starter Felix Noval suffered the loss. Through three games in the Tokyo 2020 baseball tournament, Tyler Austin leads the team in batting average (.429), doubles (3), total bases (12), and slugging percentage (.857). Triston Casas leads the team in homers (2) and RBIs (6). The pitching staff holds a collective 2.96 ERA, a .235 batting average against, striking out 30 hitters and surrendering just eight walks. Three-time World Series champion Scioscia leads a roster laden with major league and international baseball experience. Of the 24 players on the roster, 19 have previously suited up for the red, white, and blue, and seven have won a gold medal. Additionally, 13 athletes have played in Major League Baseball (MLB), four have been named an MLB All-Star, two have won a World Series, and one was a member of Team USA when it won its first World Baseball Classic title in 2017. Fans and media are encouraged to visit USABaseball.com and follow @USABaseball on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) for the most up-to-date information for the team, including daily game notes, recaps, live scoring, and behind-the-scenes content. About USA Baseball USA Baseball is the national governing body for baseball in the United States and is committed to serving, protecting and supporting the game of baseball and its 15.6 million participants. Founded in 1978, USA Baseball fields six national teams annually and is a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). On the diamond, USA Baseball is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the reigning World Baseball Classic champion, and its national teams have won 62 gold medals in international competition. Off the field, the organization is dedicated to the proliferation and health of the sport through the creation and management of numerous development initiatives including Fun At Bat, Pitch Smart, PLAY BALL and the Prospect Development Pipeline. For more information on the organization, its national teams and development-driven initiatives, visit the official website USABaseball.com or USABDevelops.com.