MIAMI — There is nowhere lonelier in baseball than the pitcher’s mound, and there might never have been a lonelier time to occupy it than on Sunday night, when perhaps the two most fearsome lineups ever assembled took the field in the semifinal of the World Baseball Classic. Between them, the United States and the Dominican Republic have combined for 2,825 MLB home runs, 8,827 runs and 7,653 walks. Fourteen of the 18 got MVP votes last year, including each team’s No. 9 hitter.
“The best of the best,” said United States right fielder Aaron Judge. “Power versus power,” said Dominican Republic manager Albert Pujols. “Nasty,” said U.S. manager Mark DeRosa.
