Italy advances undefeated to the World Baseball Classic semifinals

ByDavid Mitchell
Copiar enlace

Italy remains undefeated in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, withstanding an attack by Puerto Rico, and advancing to the semifinals with a 5-0 record

HOUSTON — JJ D’Orazio doubled with three RBIs and Andrew Fischer had two RBIs for Italy, which continued its winning streak in the World Baseball Classic by beating Puerto Rico 8-6 on Saturday to earn its first trip to the semifinals.

The Azzurri improved to 5-0 in the tournament and advanced to face defending champion Japan or Venezuela on Monday night in Miami.

Italy only trailed briefly after a game-opening home run by Willi Castro, before scoring four runs in the first inning to take the lead for good. Puerto Rico reacted late, with four runs in the eighth, but Greg Weissert allowed a hit in a scoreless ninth to earn a five-out save.

Puerto Rico, in the quarterfinals for the sixth time, fell to a 1-2 record against Italy in the World Classic.

Italy led by two runs in the fourth when he drew three consecutive walks that loaded the bases with two outs. Fischer hit a ball to right field that a fan reached over the fence to catch.

Fischer was credited with a double on fan interference to make it 6-2. D’Orazio followed with a two-run ground double.

Eddie Rosario hit a force out that produced a run in the eighth, Joe La Sorsa threw a wild pitch that allowed a run and Christian Vázquez had a two-run single.

Weissert allowed a two-out single before retiring Nolan Arenado with a groundout for the final out of the inning.

Castro’s hit landed the ball in the Crawford boxes in left field, before winner Sam Aldegheri’s fourth pitch. This put Puerto Rico in front and marked Castro’s second home run of the tournament.

Vinnie Pasquantino, who set a World Classic record with three home runs in Italy’s rout of Mexico, singled to tie the bottom half. RBI singles by Dominic Canzone and Jac Caglianone took the defeated Seth Lugo out of the game.

D’Orazio raised a sacrifice against Jovani Morán.

Aldegheri walked two batters with one out in the second inning and hit Matthew Lugo on the top of his foot with a pitch. Alek Jacob forced a run when he came in with the bases loaded and hit Martín Maldonado with his first pitch.

David Mitchell
David Mitchell

As a passionate sports journalist with over a decade of experience, I strive to uncover the heart and soul behind every game. Supported by a dedicated team of fellow enthusiasts and storytellers, I am committed to delivering insightful and engaging content that connects fans worldwide. Together, we celebrate the victories, challenges, and unifying spirit of sports through every article we craft.