Team Italy Beats Team Mexico At World Baseball Classic To Help Team USA Advance

Nobody ordered a rescue mission for Team USA. But Italy showed up anyway. On Wednesday night at Daikin Park in Houston, Italy dismantled Mexico 9-1, securing their own spot in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals while simultaneously pulling Team USA back from the edge of a humiliating early exit.

The Americans, who had lost a stunning 8-6 decision to Italy the night before, spent most of Wednesday night watching from their hotel, biting their nails and hoping the Italians would do what the Italians apparently do now — win baseball games dominantly. They did not disappoint.

Italy Was Not Playing Around Against Mexico

From the opening pitch, Italy meant business. Vinnie Pasquantino had been completely silent at the plate through his first three games, going 0-for-12. For a guy who was one of the chief architects of this whole Italian baseball movement, that kind of slump had to sting.

Wednesday night? He made up for every single one of those hitless at-bats in one unforgettable performance. Pasquantino went deep in the second inning. Then again, in the sixth. Then once more in the eighth. Three home runs in a single WBC game. That was the first time that has ever happened in World Baseball Classic history. Not bad for a guy who had been struggling to get the bat on the ball all tournament.

Jon Berti added a solo shot in the fourth inning, and just like that, Italy had built a 6-0 lead against a Mexican squad that desperately needed a win to stay alive.

Aaron Nola Reminded Everyone He’s Still Elite

While Pasquantino was busy making history with his bat, Aaron Nola was quietly suffocating Mexico’s lineup from the mound. The Philadelphia Phillies veteran was making his WBC debut on Wednesday, and he looked every bit like the ace he is.

Nola went five shutout innings, surrendering just four hits and a walk while striking out five. By the time he walked off the mound, Italy led 5-0, and the game was essentially over. It was exactly what Italy needed.

Looking at Italy’s pitching staff through pool play, the numbers were borderline ridiculous: a 1.00 ERA over 18 innings, with just 10 hits and two runs allowed. That is not luck. That is a pitching staff that came here to win.

Team USA Can Exhale — But Should They?

Back at the hotel, the Americans were understandably relieved. Italy’s win guaranteed the USA would advance as the No. 2 seed from Pool B, earning a quarterfinal matchup with Canada on Friday night. Logan Webb is expected to get the ball for the Americans, while Canada will counter with Michael Soroka.

But let’s not completely ignore what happened here. Team USA, widely considered the most talented WBC roster ever assembled, needed a foreign country to bail them out of a situation that should have never existed in the first place. Manager Mark DeRosa had already made headlines for mistakenly announcing on MLB Network that the USA had clinched before they actually had. He later said he “misspoke.” The baseball world was not exactly gracious about it.

The Americans entered this tournament as heavy favorites. They still have more than enough talent to win the whole thing. But right now, the story belongs to someone else entirely.

Italy Is Writing Something Special

Here is what is easy to miss in all the noise surrounding Team USA’s near-disaster: Italy is genuinely good. Not just “fun underdog” good — legitimately threatening.

They beat the Americans 8-6 on Tuesday in one of the biggest WBC upsets in recent memory. They followed it up by steamrolling Mexico. They finished pool play undefeated at 4-0. They are now the top seed from Pool B and will face Puerto Rico on Saturday night with a semifinal berth on the line.

Back in Italy, the reaction has been electric. The prime minister sent his congratulations. Highlights are airing on national television. Italian federation president Marco Mazzieri called it historic. “This means the world for Italian baseball,” Mazzieri said. “The phones are just blowing up.”

Italy Manager Francisco Cervelli, the former big-league catcher, put it even more boldly. He suggested that if Italy wins this tournament, it could do for baseball what soccer has done for generations. It would transform it into a national religion. That might be a stretch. But two days ago, nobody thought Italy could beat Team USA either.

What Comes Next for Italy

Italy now heads into the knockout round as one of the hottest teams in the entire WBC field. Pasquantino, despite going hitless for three games, proved on Wednesday that when he gets going, he is capable of single-handedly changing the course of a game.

The camaraderie within this group is also worth noting. Berti, who is hitting .417 through pool play, summed it up perfectly: “It’s unbelievable how close this group has gotten in such a quick timeframe.”

That closeness has translated directly onto the field. Italy does not play like a team that just met a few weeks ago. They play with purpose, confidence, and an edge that has caught every opponent off guard. Puerto Rico will be watching film. They should be.