That's how it played out Monday in San Juan, Puerto Rico, when the home team knocked off the upstart Netherlands, 3-1, to advance to the second round.
The Dutch team, fresh off a monumental upset of the Dominican Republic, looked like it might have even more magic to spare, but the big-league-laden roster of Puerto Rico ultimately proved stronger despite leaving 21 men on base.
The Estadio Hiram Bithorn fans went crazy as their favorite team stayed unbeaten, and there was plenty more drama to behold in the other three Classic games played Monday.
Two days after Canada looked so impressive in dropping a tight decision to the United States, the Canadians were sent packing on their home turf of Toronto in an inspired 6-2 win by Italy.
Korea got revenge on Japan in Tokyo, pulling off a stirring 1-0 victory that locked up Pool A for the Koreans. Both teams will move on to the second round, with Korea gaining valuable momentum and now being able to forget that it lost to Japan, 14-2, earlier.
Meanwhile, Mexico staved off elimination in rollicking fashion at home in Mexico City, breaking open a tight game to blow out -- and eliminate -- South Africa by a score of 14-3.
Tuesday will feature three games, all with their own brand of intrigue. In Toronto, the Italians and Venezuelans will fight to stay in the tournament, and in Mexico City, the high-octane offenses of Cuba and Australia will meet for the first time.
And then there's San Juan, where the Dominicans and the Netherlands will square off one more time with elimination on the line.
"They played a great game," Puerto Rico manager Jose Oquendo said about the Dutch team after Monday's game. "They shouldn't feel disappointed. They should feel proud. They played a great game. We hope they play the same way against the Dominican Republic."
And as we move forward to this decisive Tuesday, here comes yet another day of international pool-hopping:
POOL A: TOKYO All done here with the advances of Japan and Korea. Both teams now will travel to San Diego, where they'll get ready for Round 2 games at PETCO Park against the survivors of Pool B.
POOL B: MEXICO CITY The winner of this sure-to-please matchup of Cuba and Australia, which will be played at 10 p.m. ET, advances to the second round. Expect offense after both teams' first games, in which they combined to hit 10 home runs.
POOL C: TORONTO How about those Italians? They've got some Major League talent, with Nick Punto, Chris Denorfia, Frank Catalanotto and Jason Grilli, among others. And they've got a secret weapon in hitting coach Mike Piazza, who's likely bound for Cooperstown once he's eligible. Then again, they're also facing elimination against a stacked Venezuela team in the 5 p.m. ET start.
"You know, one of the great things about international ball is it's a one-game final every day," Denorfia said after Monday's win. "So on any given day, any team can beat any team. I like the lineup we're throwing out there every day, so I would not count us out."
POOL D: SAN JUAN And for the most anticipated matchup of the week, we bring you Dominican Republic vs. The Netherlands II, the sequel. This live theater will play out starting at 6:30 p.m. ET, and the loser goes home. The Dutch team has not been scared at all in two games and seems ready for any challenge come Monday.
"From what I understand, they're supposed to beat us 9-0 tomorrow," Netherlands manager Rod Delmonico said. "We will come out and play hard and give our best effort. That's all we can do."
Every minute of the 2009 World Baseball Classic has brought serious surprises and brilliantly played baseball. Expect a lot more of it Monday.
Doug Miller is reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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