Italy Makes History, Advances to World Baseball Classic Semifinals

Italy defeated Puerto Rico with a score of 8-6 in the World Baseball Classic, securing its first-ever trip to the semifinals. The Azzurri now hold a remarkable 5-0 record in the tournament.

The Azzurri now hold a 5-0 record in the tournament and are set to compete against either defending champion Japan or Venezuela in the Monday night semifinals in Miami.

Italy is set to compete against either defending champion Japan or Venezuela in the Monday night semifinals in Miami.

Game Highlights

Puerto Rico briefly took the lead after Willi Castro hit a leadoff home run. However, Italy responded by scoring four runs in the first inning to establish a lead it maintained throughout the game.

Earlier in the game, Vinnie Pasquantino hit a tying single for Italy, followed by RBI singles from Dominic Canzone and Jac Caglianone. Sam Aldegheri was the winning pitcher for Italy.

Extending the Advantage

In the fourth inning, Italy extended its lead when Andrew Fischer hit a ball that resulted in a two-run double due to fan interference, making the score 6-2. J.J. D’Orazio then followed with a two-run ground-rule double, contributing to his total of three RBIs in the game. Fischer finished with two RBIs.

Puerto Rico's Late Push

Puerto Rico attempted a late comeback, scoring four runs in the eighth inning. This rally included a run-scoring forceout by Eddie Rosario, a run-scoring wild pitch, and a two-run single by Christian Vázquez.

Italy Secures the Win

Greg Weissert pitched a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit, to earn a five-out save for Italy.