Kyle Teel, Sam Antonacci and Jac Caglianone all homered for Italy, which moved to the top of the World Baseball Classic Pool B standings by holding on to upset the United States, 8-6, on Tuesday night in Houston.
Italy, which raced out to an 8-0 lead before Team USA rallied in the final four innings, is 3-0 in Pool B play and will clinch a spot in the quarterfinals with a win against Mexico in Wednesday’s finale.
An Italy win Wednesday would secure the final Pool B spot for Team USA, which finished 3-1.
If Mexico (2-1) beats Italy, those teams along with the United States will finish Pool B at 3-1. The first tiebreaker is head-to-head record, which would be 1-1 for all three teams. The second tiebreaker is the fewest runs per out in head-to-head games.
Team USA allowed 11 runs against Italy and Mexico and recorded 54 outs (.2037 runs per out), while Mexico got 24 outs against Team USA and gave up five runs (.2083 runs per out). Italy yielded six runs against Team USA on Tuesday over 27 outs (.222 runs per out).
As a result, Team USA needs Italy to win, which would eliminate Mexico, or Mexico to win while allowing at least six runs. Mexico advances with a win by five runs or fewer.
Starter Michael Lorenzen earned the win for Italy, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out two over 4 2/3 scoreless innings.
Teel hit a solo blast and Antonacci added a two-run homer off Team USA starter Nolan McLean in the second. Caglianone hit a two-run shot in the fourth off Ryan Yarborough before Italy added three more runs in the sixth. J.J. D’Orazio scored on an error by Team USA pitcher Brad Keller and Dante Nori lofted a sacrifice fly before Antonacci scored on Keller’s wild pitch.
Gunnar Henderson’s solo shot to begin Team USA’s comeback bid in the sixth before Pete Crow-Armstrong hit the first of his two homers, a three-run blast, in the seventh to make it 8-4. Roman Anthony had an RBI single in the eighth and Crow-Armstrong went deep with one out in the ninth off Ron Marinaccio to cut the deficit to 8-6.
Greg Weissert entered and gave up a single to Bobby Witt Jr. before striking out Henderson and Team USA captain Aaron Judge to earn the save.
Teel was 2-for-2 before exiting with a leg injury following a sixth-inning double. Caglianone also had two of Italy’s six hits.
Witt and Will Smith had two hits apiece for Team USA, which posted 11 hits.
McLean gave up three runs on two hits and two walks while striking out four over three innings.
