Fernando Tatis Jr. ignites the Dominican Republic with a grand slam, sealing a WBC quarterfinal spot

MIAMI (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. knew the ball was gone, knew he had just hit a grand slam, knew the fans at loanDepot Park were going to spend the next few moments roaring so loudly that their cries would keep echoing off the ballpark's roof.

And he wasn't done there.

Forget the grand slam — the first for the Dominican Republic in its World Baseball Classic history, the catalyst for what became a 10-1 win over Israel and assured his team's trip to the quarterfinals. The celebration was even better: Tatis posed at the plate for a couple seconds, then put the barrel of the bat in his right hand, then threw the bat over his left shoulder and started gesturing to his dugout.

Epic swing. Epic moment.

“We just know there’s way more than this,” Tatis said. “We have been enjoying the moment. We have been enjoying the success that we have been (getting) on the field. But at the same time, we know there’s a bigger goal out there.”

The goal is clear: Win three games in the knockout stage and win the nation's second title. It won't be easy, not with Shohei Ohtani and Japan on their way to Miami for the quarterfinals (and, they hope, the semifinals and final). The U.S. roster is loaded, and the Dominicans have a showdown with Venezuela in Miami on Wednesday night before the quarterfinals even start.

“Today it was Tatís Jr.’s day,” Dominican Republic manager Albert Pujols said. “He took the show, and that’s how dangerous this lineup is. ... He can put the ball in the seats like he did today, and that was a huge moment for us to turn things around when he dug deep and hit that grand slam.”

The Dominican Republic hasn't been tested; its three wins are by a combined 34-5.

“It’s the type of team you put together when you want to win on PlayStation or MLB The Show,” Israel manager Brad Ausmus said. “There’s a couple other teams in this tournament that are probably similar. They’re a very good team, like I said. Right now, they’re one of the best teams on the planet.”

The Dominican Republic won the tournament in 2013, making it the only nation other than the U.S. or Japan to win the WBC crown. Japan has won three times, the U.S. once.

Tatis remembers watching his father, Fernando Tatis Sr. — who once had two grand slams in the same inning of a major league game — play in the 2009 WBC, and he has recollections of watching the title run four years later.

And with one swing, and one bat flip, he got a new memory on Monday that he knows many Dominicans will savor.

“We are one, the team and the fans,” Tatis said. “We are one. We do our best on the field, and they make noise in the stadium, in the stands. We are just one, and this victory belongs to all.”

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Dominican Republic's Fernando Tatis Jr. celebrates after hitting a grand slam during the second inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Israel, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Dominican Republic's Fernando Tatis Jr., center, celebrates with teammates after hitting a grand slam during the second inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Israel, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Dominican Republic's Fernando Tatis Jr. hits a grand slam during the second inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Israel, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Dominican Republic's Fernando Tatis Jr. reacts after hitting a grand slam during the second inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Israel, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Dominican Republic's Fernando Tatis Jr. tosses his bat after hitting a grand slam during the second inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Israel, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

For Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, it was perhaps the most humiliating Champions League debut of all time.

Two miskicks. Three goals conceded. And substituted inside 17 minutes.

No wonder the 22-year-old Czech player looked inconsolable as he walked down the tunnel at Metropolitano Stadium, with two teammates catching him up to offer their sympathies.

Handed his first start since October and only his third appearance all season, Kinsky endured a nightmarish start to the round-of-16 match at Atletico Madrid, which wound up winning 5-2 on Tuesday.

To begin with, he slipped and botched a clearance in the sixth minute, the ball going straight to an Atletico player and — two passes later — leading to Marcos Llorente slotting past Kinsky to open the scoring.

Then, moments after Antoine Griezmann made it 2-0 for Atletico, Kinsky attempted a first-time pass out of his area with his left foot but miskicked again. The ball dribbled into the path of Julian Alvarez, who had the simple task of slotting the ball into an empty net.

Tottenham was 3-0 down after 15 minutes and Kinsky lay face down, with both hands on his head. He got up but stayed knelt down, one arm across his knee.

It wasn’t long before he was pulled by Igor Tudor, the under-pressure Tottenham interim manager whose bold call to leave out first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario had spectacularly backfired.

“It was necessary to do this, preserve the guy and the team," Tudor said. “Incredible situation.”

Kinsky shook his head as he walked off the field — to some applause by sympathetic Atletico fans — to be replaced by Vicario and headed directly to the tunnel. One teammate was seen with his arm around the shoulder of Kinsky as they walked to the locker room.

“That is confidence-destroying for Antonin Kinsky,” former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson said on the BBC, adding that he had ”never seen that on a football pitch."

Tottenham midfielder Archie Gray backed Kinsky to recover from his errors.

“It's part of the game,” Gray said. “Obviously when it costs goals, as a goalkeeper it's more disappointing. It's hard for him but he's very strong mentally and I know he will get through this.”

Kinsky was signed by Tottenham from Slavia Prague in January last year amid an injury crisis in the goalkeeper department.

He was hailed as a goalkeeper for the future, and regarded as especially good with the ball at his feet.

Kinsky made 10 appearances for Tottenham last season, giving up his starting spot when Vicario recovered in February from a broken ankle.

His only two previous appearances this season have come in the English League Cup, making it a huge decision by Tudor to call up Kinsky for Tottenham's biggest game of the campaign so far.

Kinsky clearly wasn't ready for such a big occasion and Tudor, who didn't acknowledge the young goalkeeper as he walked off the field, had questions to answer.

“It was the right moment for me — I was thinking it was the right decision before the game,” Tudor said. “After the game, of course not.”

Vicario had put in some shaky recent performances, having conceded two or more goals in each of Tottenham's last nine Premier League games — none of which the team had won. In fact, Tottenham is on a club-record winless run of 11 matches in the Premier League, losing its last five as it battles relegation.

The Italian's kicking and distribution has been particularly scrutinized, most recently in the 3-1 home loss to Crystal Palace last week.

Tudor chose to take Vicario out of the firing line — but that didn't last long.

This sixth straight loss in all competitions marked the latest humiliation for Tottenham, which is just one point above the relegation zone in the Premier League with nine games left.

Spurs came into the match at Atletico with just two wins in 14 matches in all competitions in 2026 — and both of those were in the Champions League.

Tottenham has been an ever-present in the Premier League since the competition was founded in 1992, and last played in the second tier in the 1977-78 season.

The Champions League has proved to be a welcome distraction for Tottenham from its domestic woes — until Tuesday, anyway. The team finished fourth in the league stage, behind only Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Liverpool, after winning five of its eight games.

Tudor replaced the fired Thomas Frank last month but has lost all four of his games in charge — an unwanted first for a Tottenham manager.

“Everything is going wrong,” the Croatian said.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Tottenham's head coach Igor Tudor reacts during the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Tottenham in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Tottenham's head coach Igor Tudor looks out from the bench prior to the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Tottenham in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Tottenham's goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky leaves the field after substitution during the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Tottenham in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Tottenham's goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, left, shakes hands with Tottenham's goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario after substitution during the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Tottenham in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)