MIAMI — Nelson Cruz hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Andrew Miller in the eighth inning, Starling Marte added a solo shot off the All-Star reliever and the defending champion Dominican Republic overcame a five-run deficit to beat the United States 7-5 Saturday night.

The comeback delighted a clamorous crowd of 37,446, the largest for baseball in the five-year history of Marlins Park.

The U.S. fell to 1-1 and is in jeopardy of being eliminated in the first round. The Americans, who play Canada on Sunday, failed to reach the three previous WBC finals.

The Dominicans improved to 10-0 in the past two Classics, including 2-0 this year. They can clinch first place in Pool C and advance to the second round by beating Colombia on Sunday.

VENEZUELA 11, ITALY 10: All-Star catcher Salvador Perez injured his left knee in a home-plate collision with Drew Butera, his backup with the Kansas City Royals, and Venezuela rallied to beat Italy at Guadalajara, Mexico, on Martin Prado’s 10th-inning double.

Italy’s Butera stumbled into Perez to end the ninth with the score tied at 10. Butera appeared to try to limit contact with Perez but still fell into his left knee. Perez struggled to put weight on the leg as he was helped off the field.

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“Salvador has a loose knee and he’s going to go to the clinic for X-rays to see if everything is fine,” Venezuela Manager Omar Vizquel said. “Right now, he s a question mark for tomorrow’s game.”

Perez, who had surgery in 2012 to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee, hit a two-run homer in the ninth to put Venezuela ahead 10-8.

Prado, who plays for the Atlanta Braves, brought home Houston’s Jose Altuve with his hit to center field.

COLOMBIA 4, CANADA 1: Julio Teheran threw five solid innings to help Colombia beat Canada at Miami.

Teheran settled down after surrendering Braves teammate Freddie Freeman’s RBI single in the first that gave Canada a 1-0 lead. Teheran allowed one run and two hits and retired the final 13 hitters he faced after Freeman’s single.

Donovan Solano’s second RBI single drove in Tito Polo in the fifth to give Colombia a 2-1 lead.


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