For four innings Saturday night, Team USA’s star-studded lineup was quiet.
Then Kyle Schwarber changed the game with one swing.
Schwarber’s two-run home run in the fifth inning ignited an offensive surge that carried the United States to a 9–1 victory over Great Britain on March 7 at Daikin Park.
Great Britain briefly grabbed the early momentum when Nate Eaton led off the game with a fly ball to left-center that was initially ruled in play before a replay review overturned the call to a home run, giving Britain a quick 1–0 lead.
From there, however, the United States pitching staff took control.
Starter Tarik Skubal settled in after the first inning and delivered three strong frames, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out five. The American bullpen then slammed the door, as Clay Holmes, David Bednar, Griffin Jax, and Brad Keller combined for five scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts.
The turning point came in the fifth inning.
A wild pitch by Andre Scrubb allowed Ernie Clement to score the tying run, setting the stage for Schwarber. The Phillies slugger followed moments later by launching a two-run homer to right field, putting Team USA ahead 3–1.
KYLE SCHWARBER DELIVERS A MASSIVE HOMER TO PUT HIS TEAM ON TOP! ⚾💥#WorldBaseballClassic
— Mr. Beyzbol ⚾️ (@MrBeyzbol) March 8, 2026
pic.twitter.com/nM4YqYzLrP
The United States offense kept rolling.
Later in the inning, Gunnar Henderson lined a two-run hit to center that scored Alex Bregman and Bryce Harper, extending the lead to 5–1.
Henderson finished the night with a standout performance at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs and five total bases to lead a 12-hit attack.
Team USA added three more runs in the sixth inning.
Bregman lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Clement before Aaron Judge followed with a 109.5-mph RBI single to left. Will Smith capped the inning with another sacrifice fly that brought Schwarber home and stretched the advantage to 8–1.
Bregman added his second sacrifice fly of the night in the seventh to score Clement and complete the scoring.
The American lineup showed its depth throughout the night, drawing seven walks and going 5-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Schwarber finished 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, while Clement scored three runs from the No. 8 spot in the order. Pete Crow-Armstrong added two runs and a double, and Harper collected a hit and scored once.
"It's fun, it's electric ... to have a big moment, spark it like that, it's awesome," Schwarber told Ken Rosenthal in a postgame interview on FOX.
On the mound, the United States pitching staff dominated after Eaton’s opening blast. American pitchers struck out 17 batters and did not issue a walk, limiting Great Britain to just three hits across eight innings.
With the win, Team USA continued its strong start in tournament play behind a combination of power, plate discipline and deep pitching.
And when the game’s biggest swing was needed, Schwarber delivered it.
On the mound, the United States pitching staff dominated after Eaton’s opening blast. American pitchers struck out 17 batters and did not issue a walk, limiting Great Britain to just three hits across eight innings.
With the win, Team USA continued its strong start in tournament play behind a combination of power, plate discipline and deep pitching.
And when the game’s biggest swing was needed, Schwarber delivered it.
USA will continue pool play on Monday with a contest against Mexico.
Loading Phillies schedule...
Loading NL East standings...
Support the Mission. Fuel the Movement.
You’re not just funding journalism — you’re backing the future of youth baseball in Philly.
👉 Join us on Patreon »