Italy Beats Mexico, Advances to WBC Quarterfinals with USA

The World Baseball Classic took a wild turn as Italy crushed Mexico 9-1. That result kept Italy’s tournament hopes alive and also punched Team USA’s ticket out of Pool B and into the quarterfinals, where they’ll meet Canada.

The Americans’ earlier 8-6 loss to Italy had left them sweating on the final Pool B game. On a night when Italy’s bats exploded and their pitching locked in, Daikin Park filled with nearly 40,000 fans and the tournament’s landscape shifted.

Italy’s 9-1 rout reshapes Pool B and clears the path to the quarterfinals

Captain Vinnie Pasquantino led the charge, making history with the WBC’s first-ever three-home-run game. He homered in the second, sixth, and eighth innings, turning Daikin Park into an Italian showcase.

Pasquantino’s barrage was just part of a relentless attack that kept Mexico off balance from the start. Italy didn’t let up, and Mexico just couldn’t catch their breath.

Aaron Nola gave Italy five scoreless innings, setting the tone right away. The bullpen kept the door shut, and the offense kept tacking on runs.

Mexico’s Jon Berti did answer with a solo homer in the fourth. But Italy’s three-run fifth inning stretched the lead, and by then, the crowd’s energy just couldn’t sway the momentum back.

Daikin Park was buzzing, with a sea of Mexican fans trying to will their team back into it. But Italy’s lineup and pitching simply smothered any hopes for a rally as the game wore on.

With the win, Italy stayed undefeated and set up a quarterfinal clash with Puerto Rico for a shot at the semifinals. The atmosphere felt electric—almost surreal at times.

• Pasquantino’s three-homer game was a first in WBC history.
• Nola’s five shutout innings anchored Italy’s staff and kept Mexico scoreless early.
• Italy’s offense jumped out early and never really slowed down, shutting down any chance for a Mexican comeback.
• Italy’s defense and bullpen locked things down after the early surge, keeping the momentum on their side.

Bracket implications and what’s next for the teams

Italy kept its perfect record and opened the door for USA to advance, setting up a quarterfinal against Canada. The Americans will likely start Logan Webb, the righty from the San Francisco Giants, in what’s shaping up to be a high-stakes game.

Canada will counter with Michael Soroka, a Diamondbacks right-hander who’s been lights out this tournament. Canada clinched its Pool A spot by beating both Puerto Rico and Cuba.

That sets up a pretty juicy matchup: two baseball-crazy nations, a mix of big-league stars and up-and-comers, and everything on the line. That’s exactly what the World Baseball Classic is all about, right?

Looking ahead to the quarterfinals and pitching matchups

The tournament’s moving into the late rounds, and the quarterback-pivot is clear. The U.S. plans to lean on Logan Webb to anchor the game against Canada.

Canada will ride Michael Soroka in a duel that could come down to bullpen depth or just a single clutch hit. The rest of the bracket’s drama? Puerto Rico keeps chasing its own WBC mission, while Italy waits on the other side, hoping for a spot in the semifinals.

One game can flip the script in the World Baseball Classic—just one captain’s breakout, or a starter who dominates, or even a record-setting play that shakes up a whole country’s baseball scene. With the quarterfinals right around the corner, all these teams know: what happened before doesn’t matter nearly as much as what’s happening now.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Italy beats Mexico to advance at WBC, along with Team USA