Pasquantino’s 3 HRs lead unbeaten Italy over Mexico 9-1 in WBC

Vinnie Pasquantino had the World Baseball Classic’s first three-homer game, leading Italy over Mexico 9-1 on Wednesday night to win Pool B and advance the United States to the quarterfinals as the group’s second-place team.

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Italy’s victory ended a day of uncertainty for the Americans, who needed help to reach the quarterfinals after losing to Italy 8-6 on Tuesday night.

Pasquantino, who opened the tournament 0 for 12, homered leading off the second, sixth and eighth innings to propel Italy to the quarterfinals for a third time and the second tournament in a row. Jon Berti also homered for Italy to help build a big lead early.

A THREE-HOMER GAME FOR VINNIE PASQUANTINO 🤌🤌🤌 pic.twitter.com/lIS854ULAA

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 12, 2026

The Italians will face Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals in Houston on Saturday, a day after the U.S. plays Canada, which advanced past the first round for the first time.

Mexico’s loss eliminated it from qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a disappointment for a team that finished third in the 2023 WBC, losing to eventual champion Japan in the semifinals.

Italy went 4-0 in pool play after no other European team had won more than two WBC games in a row.

Pasquantino celebrated with an espresso shot from the dugout machine after each homer, Italy’s fitting celebration after home runs.

He tried to bunt on his first pitch, then homered to the first row of the right-field seats off Javier Assad in the second inning. Berti’s shot to to left doubled the lead in the fourth.

Dante Nori’s run-scoring sacrifice bunt extended the lead in a three-run fifth capped by Jakob Marsee’s two-run single for a 5-0 lead.

Pasquantino homered starting the sixth against Daniel Duarte and again off Robert Garcia in the eighth.

Winner Aaron Nola allowed four hits and struck out five in five scoreless innings. Assad took the loss, permitting four runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Mexico loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh but managed just one run on a groundout by Alek Thomas.

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