Mexico blows out Brazil for 6-inning mercy-rule win

Alejandro Kirk, Jarren Duran, Alek Thomas and Julian Ornelas all homered as Mexico romped to a 16-0 win over Brazil in six innings.

The Pool B game in Houston was halted early because of a WBC mercy rule that ends games if a team is up by 15 or more runs after the fifth.

Mexico also beat Great Britain 8-2 in its opener Friday and will meet the United States (2-0) on Monday night.

Mexico led by five before a huge fourth inning. Duran drove in two runs with a double before Kirk’s three-run homer made it 10-0.

Kirk had an RBI double in Mexico’s four-run first. Duran’s homer on Eric Pardinho’s first pitch of the second made it 5-0.

Mexico manager Benji Gil pinch-hit for Duran and Kirk along with fellow major leaguers Randy Arozarena and Jonathan Aranda in the fifth with his team up 11-0.

But that didn’t stop Mexico from scoring. The team added a run in the fifth before a two-run shot by Thomas pushed the lead to 14-0 with one out in the sixth.

A two-run homer by Ornelas made it 16-0 with two outs to end it and start a huge celebration by the pro-Mexico crowd.

Mexico starter Taijuan Walker struck out three and walked two in 3 1/3 innings. Brazil didn’t get a hit until Gabriel Maciel singled off Roel Ramírez with two outs in the fifth.

In the WBC for just the second time and first since 2013, Brazil (0-3) was eliminated from advancing after losing to the U.S. and Italy. The team is 0-6 all-time in the tournament after losing to Japan, Cuba and China in 2013.

Brazil will wrap up pool play Monday against Britain, which also was eliminated Sunday.