World Baseball Classic: Breaking down the second round in San Diego – USA TODAY

USA TODAY Sports' Jorge Ortiz takes a look at how the major teams will fare in the second round of the World Baseball Classic. USA TODAY Sports

USA celebrates after clinching a spot in the second round.(Photo: Logan Bowles, USA TODAY Sports)

After a first round packed with thrilling games and a sprinkle of controversy, the Western Hemisphere half of the World Baseball Classic moves on to San Diegos Petco Park, where four teams will play a round-robin to determine two semifinalists. USA TODAY Sports Jorge L. Ortiz breaks down the bracket:

How they got here: Won Pool C with a 3-0 record

What went right: Dominican hitters swung the bat well, even if did take them several innings to get going at times. They produced 26 runs in the first round, 11 from the eighth inning on. Jeurys Familia, confirmed as the closer, has been untouchable in his three appearances, and fellow relievers Dellin Betances and Alex Colome have combined to give up one hit and zero runs in 4 1/3 innings. The club in general is riding a wave of confidence, not to mention an 11-game winning streak.

Cause for concern: The Dominicans didnt exactly run away with their pool. They trailed the U.S. most of the game and needed a sensational play at the plate by catcher Welington Castillo to survive against Colombia. The stakes get higher and the opposition possibly tougher now, and nothing but a spot in the finals will suffice for the DR.

Additions: Veteran right-hander Ervin Santana is moving into the rotation in place of Wily Peralta, but general manager Moises Alou told USA TODAY Sports that Carlos Martinez will still start against Puerto Rico on Tuesday.

Outlook: Hot-hitting Puerto Rico presents a big challenge right off the bat, but the Dominicans history of success against their Caribbean neighbors they beat Puerto Rico three times in the 2013 WBC, including the final adds to their swagger. Bringing in Santana boosts their rotation considerably. Until further notice, the DR is favored to advance to the semis.

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How they got here: Won Pool D with a 3-0 record

What went right: Puerto Rican hitters hammered just about every pitcher put in front of them, piling up 29 runs in three lopsided victories and never scoring fewer than nine. The dynamic trio of Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez combined for five home runs. Puerto Rico also got excellent starts from Seth Lugo and Jorge Lopez.

Cause for concern: Other than making sure their relatives are in a safe area of the ballpark, the Puerto Ricans havent had much to worry about. Its hard to find many flaws when you outscore the opposition 29-7, including a mercy-rule win over Venezuela. Perhaps the one concern is Puerto Rico hasnt been tested Mexico played it close until surrendering a four-inning ninth in a 9-4 loss but so far it has been the tournaments most impressive team.

Additions: Tampa Bay Rays prospect Jose de Leon may join the club in San Diego and possibly start against the DR on Tuesday, when Lugo will have only three days of rest.

Outlook: Its hard to imagine the Puerto Rican offense keeping up this pace, but the club is well balanced and has outstanding leadership from catcher Yadier Molina and DH Carlos Beltran, both playing in their fourth WBC. If the pitching holds up, they will be a tough out.

How they got here: Advanced from Pool C with a 2-1 record

What went right: The starting pitching was outstanding, with Chris Archer, Marcus Stroman and Danny Duffy combining to throw 12 2/3 innings of five-hit, scoreless ball. The tight win over Colombia and the crushing loss to the Dominican Republic provided valuable experience for the previously uninitiated U.S. players about the passion and intensity these games engender. They wont encounter an opposing crowd as raucous as they dealt with Saturday at Marlins Park, and will likely draw the most support the rest of the way. Lefty hitters Christian Yelich, Brandon Crawford and Eric Hosmer have been swinging hot bats.

Cause for concern: The potent U.S. lineup hasnt gotten untracked yet, with the likes of Paul Goldschmidt, Giancarlo Stanton and Nolan Arenado all batting below .150, although the latter hit a three-run homer Sunday. The bigger question may be whether the bullpen can deliver extended effective stretches, a necessity when the starters are limited by pitch counts. Andrew Miller, Tanner Roark and Mychal Givens coughed up a total of nine runs in four innings over the first three games.

Additions: The Seattle Mariners Drew Smyly will join the U.S. and start Wednesdays game against Venezuela or Italy. Former Rays teammate Jake Odorizzi is under consideration for a later game.

Outlook: Team USA bounced back nicely from the Saturday loss to the Dominican Republic, in which the Americans blew a five-run lead, and put away Canada in an 8-0 rout the next day. With Tuesday off, they have a chance to adjust to the three-hour time change, and they may be starting to peak at the right time.

How they got here: Advanced from Pool D with a 2-2 record after a 4-3 win over Italy in the tiebreaker game.

What went right: After the embarrassing 11-0 loss to Puerto Rico, Venezuela engaged in two wild games, outlasting Italy 11-10 and losing to Mexico 11-9, yet barely squeaking into a tiebreaker. Martin Prado (.583 batting average) has been on a tear, and the rest of the lineup features three former batting champions in Miguel Cabrera, Jose Altuve and Carlos Gonzalez.

Cause for concern: Its hard to overestimate the impact of losing catcher Salvador Perez for the rest of the tournament due to a knee injury. The pitching staff struggled even before he was hurt and doesnt figure to do better in his absence. Starters Felix Hernandez, Martin Perez and Yusmeiro Petit failed to pitch more than 3 1/3 innings, and the last two gave up a total of nine runs.

Additions: To be determined.

Outlook: Venezuela has no business advancing with that pitching staff, but the club has a collection of major league stars and, given a fresh slate, it could make life difficult for any opponent.

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World Baseball Classic: Breaking down the second round in San Diego - USA TODAY