One pitch ended the game. One pitch also divided the sports world.

The World Baseball Championship semifinal between United States national baseball team and Dominican Republic national baseball team finished as a tense 2–1 victory for Team USA. However, the final moment sparked immediate controversy after a full-count slider from Mason Miller appeared well below the strike zone but was called strike three.

That decision sent Team USA to its third straight WBC final. At the same time, it triggered strong reactions across the sports world, including very different responses from LeBron James and Karl-Anthony Towns.

James kept his reaction simple, celebrating the American victory. Meanwhile, Towns openly criticized the controversial call that eliminated the Dominican Republic. “Hell yeah, that was a ball man. That was some b——t. We had Fernando Tatis Jr coming up, bro. Come on man. That was a ball.”

The New York star made the comments shortly after his team defeated the Golden State Warriors, reflecting the frustration many Dominican fans felt after the semifinal ended on a disputed pitch.

The controversy centered on the final at-bat against Dominican hitter Geraldo Perdomo. Facing a full count, Perdomo took a slider from Miller that television replays showed clearly below the strike zone.

Home plate umpire Cory Blaser nevertheless called strike three, immediately ending the game. The situation amplified the drama. With a runner on third base and the dangerous Fernando Tatis Jr. waiting on deck, the Dominican Republic still had a legitimate chance to tie or even win the game.

Instead, the called strike sealed the result. Earlier in the night, the Dominican lineup had already made tournament history. Junior Caminero launched a solo home run off Paul Skenes in the second inning, setting a new WBC record as the team’s 15th home run of the tournament, breaking Mexico’s 2009 record.

Team USA eventually answered with solo home runs from Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony. From there, the American bullpen shut down a Dominican lineup that had averaged 10.3 runs per game earlier in the tournament.

Still, the final pitch dominated the postgame discussion. “I knew it was 100% a ball. I knew it.”

“It was the whole tournament, but we didn’t lose the game right there.” Dominican manager Albert Pujols attempted to shift attention away from the controversial call after the loss. “I’m not going to focus on the last pitch. It wasn’t meant to be.”

Dominican general manager Nelson Cruz later expressed hope that future tournaments could adopt an automated ball-strike system to avoid similar endings.

Karl-Anthony Towns reacts after Knicks rally past Warriors

Towns delivered his viral reaction shortly after the New York Knicks completed a 110–107 comeback victory over the Warriors. Despite missing eight players due to injuries, Golden State surged to an early 14-point first-quarter lead and eventually stretched the advantage to 21 points during the game.

However, New York rallied behind its star backcourt. Jalen Brunson finished with a game-high 30 points, nine assists, and two steals, while Towns contributed 17 points and 12 rebounds. Meanwhile, Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski led Golden State with 25 points.

The comeback became the Knicks’ largest rally of the season. Even so, Towns’ attention quickly shifted back to the international tournament. Born in New Jersey but proudly representing the Dominican Republic through his mother, the Knicks star has long supported the national team.

That connection explained why the controversial final pitch resonated so strongly with him. The Dominican Republic had entered the semifinal with one of the most powerful rosters in the tournament, including six of the previous season’s top ten MLB MVP candidates. The lineup’s historic power display, highlighted by the tournament-record 15 home runs, had positioned the team as a championship favorite.

Instead, the run ended one step short of the final. For Team USA, the victory extended a remarkable stretch in the tournament. The Americans now move on to their third consecutive WBC championship game, hoping to build on the momentum created by a pitching staff that neutralized one of baseball’s most dangerous offenses.

For the Dominican Republic, however, the semifinal will likely be remembered for something else entirely. A single pitch. And a strike call that many believed should have been a ball.