Mexico: The keys to the defeat against Italy in the WBC
The Mexican team suffered an unexpected setback at the close of the first round and said goodbye with a performance to be forgotten
Mexico he said goodbye to World Baseball Classic 2026 being overwhelmed by Italy 9-1. Everything that could go wrong Mexican National Team, It came out on Wednesday night at Daikin Park. Bad night for the hitters, the pitching failed again in the tournament and they did not know how to capitalize on the opportunities they had with men in circulation.
The Awakening of Vinnie Pasquantino
The captain of Italy was off in the previous three games ofl World Baseball Classic. Pasquantino He arrived with a 0-12 record before starting the match against Mexico. In his first at-bat, he appeared in the second inning with a solo hit to right field to initially punish the Javier Assad. Subsequently, the Kansas City Royals first baseman hit his second home run of the game also to right field, off Daniel Duarte’s relief. The night of Pasquantino He became historic in the eighth inning with his third home run of the game. The Italian first baseman becomes the first player in the history of the World Baseball Classic in connecting three Home Runs in the same match.
Mexico, without timely hitting
The Mexican National Team found the ball during the first three innings against Aaron Nolaby connecting three hits in the first third of the game. The capital sin of the tricolor team was not being able to produce the timely hit that would allow the runners to advance on the bases. Added to this was poor base running, as occurred in the third inning when Joey Ortiz got lost in a high Jarren Duranwhich led to a double play executed by Italy. Mexico he had runners on base in each of the first six innings, but failed to break score.
In the eighth inning, Mexico Méxicom filled the pads again, but went blank. Benjamin Gil decided to take as a pinch hitter Julian Ornelas. The outfielder hit a fly ball between center and right field, which was caught by the Italians to extinguish with another revolution that he tried Mexico. Throughout the entire game, the Mexican National Team went 0-for-7 with men in scoring position.
Aaron Nola, with a Major League start
The best launcher Italy appeared in a stellar plan, remembering his best performances with the Phillies. Nola He worked for five full innings and dominated the Mexican offense, which had shown great productivity in its first three group games. The right-hander surpassed the 65-pitch barrier with 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing four hits, striking out five and walking just one, enough to earn his first victory of the tournament.
MEXICO CAN’T WITH ITALY! 😫
❌ 2013
❌ 2017
❌ 2026Third time the Europeans have eliminated them in a World Baseball Classic 💔 pic.twitter.com/SlORAEvKPa
— AM850.com.mx (@ESPNmx) March 12, 2026
Seventh inning, from joy to well for Mexico
The first great opportunity for Mexican National Team His presence on the board came in the seventh inning when he managed to get his first three batters on base with a single and two walks. However, timely batting was absent, Alex Thomas He hit a ground ball to first base that broke the shutout. After this the team shut down with a line drive from Rowdy Tellez that caught the first baseman and the third out came with a strikeout to Jarren Durán.
Javier Assad was punished
It had been a solid start for the pitcher of the Cubswho started with three strikeouts, but from the second inning the Italian hitters began to figure him out. Vinnie Pasquantino He hit a solo home run and, although Assad regained control at times, in the fourth inning he appeared Jon Berti with a home run to left field. In the fifth he still returned to the mound and, after leaving runners on first and third at the end of his work, he ended up allowing four earned runs, the first of his entire career in the WBC.
