Italy stuns the US 8-6 in World
Baseball Classic, leaving the Americans needing help to advance
[March 11, 2026]
Kyle Teel, Sam Antonacci and Jac Caglianone homered as Italy built a
big lead and held on to stun the United States 8-6 Tuesday night in
the World Baseball Classic.
The U.S. is done with pool play at Houston's Daikin Park and needs
the Italians to beat Mexico Wednesday night to be guaranteed a spot
in the quarterfinals. If Mexico beats Italy, the three teams will be
knotted at 3-1 and the winners will be determined by a tiebreaker,
with the team that allowed the most runs eliminated.
Italy starter Michael Lorenzen allowed two hits in 4 2/3 scoreless
innings to keep the Americans off balance.
Pete Crow-Armstrong homered twice and drove in four runs, and Gunnar
Henderson added a solo shot for the U.S., but the rally came up
short when Greg Weissert struck out Aaron Judge with a runner on to
end it.
Crow-Armstrong’s second homer, a shot to the second deck in right
field, cut the lead to 8-6 with one out in the ninth. Bobby Witt Jr.
singled and Henderson struck out before Judge whiffed to start the
Italian celebration.
The U.S. was down by 8-1 with two outs in the seventh when
Crow-Armstrong hit a majestic three-run homer to right field.
Kyle Schwarber and Will Smith hit back-to-back singles with two outs
in the eighth before Roman Anthony’s RBI single on a line drive to
left field. But Ron Marinaccio retired pinch-hitter Bryce Harper on
a fly ball to end the inning.
Teel’s home run to the Crawford boxes in left field gave Italy an
early lead with two outs in the third. McLean then plunked
Caglianone before Antonacci’s homer to the bullpen in right-center
made it 3-0.
Caglianone’s two-run shot off Ryan Yarbrough pushed the lead to 5-0
with no outs in the fourth.
The Italians added a run on an error, another on a sacrifice fly and
a third on a wild pitch by Brad Keller to push the lead to 8-0 in a
sloppy sixth by the U.S.
The U.S. finally got on the board with Henderson's homer in the
sixth.
Japan finishes World Baseball Classic group unbeaten, tops Czechs
9-0 behind Murakami’s grand slam
Defending champion Japan completed an unbeaten group stage at the
World Baseball Classic, beating the Czech Republic 9-0 at the Tokyo
Dome on Tuesday night behind a nine-run eighth inning capped by
Munetaka Murakami's grand slam.
After outscoring opponents 39-9 in going 4-0, Japan advanced to a
quarterfinal on Saturday in Miami against Venezuela or the Dominican
Republic.
Japan rested Shohei Ohtani, who is hitting .556 with two homers, six
RBIs and four walks.
The Czechs, the 2025 European championship bronze medalists,
finished 0-4 and were outscored 39-5 while batting .167, 19th among
the 20 teams and ahead of only Brazil (.130).
Kenya Wakatsuki hit a go-ahead double in the eighth off loser Michal
Kovala, who was removed after Ukyo Shuto's three-run homer. Shugo
Maki drew a bases-loaded walk from Ryan Johnson, a two-way player
who also appears at first base. Murakami drove a fastball at the top
of the strike zone 425 feet into the right-center field seats.
Czech starter Ondrej (pronounced Andre) Satoria allowed six hits
over 4 2/3 innings, throwing 42 changeups among 67 pitches. His
fastest offering was 79.9 mph.
Satoria is famous in Japan. He struck out Ohtani on three pitches in
the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
“I’m sad,” Satoria said before the game, knowing Ohtani was out of
the lineup. “I think a lot of fans are sad, too. Maybe he’s resting
for the long trip to Miami.”
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Japan's Munetaka Murakami runs for his grand slam home run during
the eighth inning of a World Baseball Classic game between Japan and
the Czech Republic on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 in Tokyo. (AP
Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Winner Yumeto Kanemaru struck out five over two
perfect innings.
All of the Czech players have day jobs. Satoria, who is retiring
from the national team, is an electrician and manager Pavel Chadim —
that’s Dr. Chadim — is a neurologist.
Chadim wore the 2025 European championship bronze medal to an
interview session.
“I have this medal because I want to show to some people in the
world that we are not baseball tourists,” Chadim said. “We are doing
baseball as professionals. We don’t want excuses. We play as
professionals on the field.”
Jake Gelof drives in 3 runs to lead Israel over Netherlands 6-2
Jake Gelof drove in three runs and Matt Mervis doubled twice to lead
Israel (2-2) over the Netherlands (1-3) in a Group D matchup of
already eliminated teams.
Xander Bogaerts' run-scoring grounder and Didi Gregorius' sacrifice
fly put the Dutch ahead in the first at Miami but Gelof cut the
deficit with an RBI double in the second.
Mervis’ two-run double capped a five-run sixth against loser Kevin
Kelly. RJ Schreck hit a tying RBI single and Geloff followed with a
two-run single for a 4-2 lead. Four runs in the inning were unearned
because Garrett Stubbs reached on a one-out fielding error by first
baseman Sharlon Schoop.
Josh Mallitz got the last out in the fifth for the win and Ben Simon
struck out three around three walks in the ninth in a non-save
situation.
Druw Jones had four walks for the Netherlands, which went 0 for 11
with runners in scoring position.
Dutch reliever Ryjeteri Merite allowed one hit in 3 1/3 scoreless
innings as he appeared in his fifth WBC, tying a mark shared by
Venezuela's Miguel Cabrera and Cuba's Alfredo Despaigne.
Canada beats Puerto Rico 3-2, could advance with victory over
Cuba
Rico Garcia forced in the tying and go-ahead runs with consecutive
bases-loaded walks to Tyler O’Neill and Tyler Black in the third
inning, and Canada beat host Puerto Rico in San Juan to remain in
contention to advance from Group A.
Puerto Rico (3-1) had already clinched a berth in the quarterfinals.
Canada and Cuba are both 2-1 going into their final game Wednesday,
and with a win Canada would advance past the first round for the
first time.
In a game that started after a 69-minute rain delay, Nolan Arenado’s
first-inning RBI single off winning pitcher Jordan Balazovic put
Puerto Rico ahead, but Canada loaded the bases in the third against
José De León, and Garcia struggled with control when he relieved.
Abraham Toro added a run-scoring single against Raymond Burgos in
the fourth for a 3-1 lead but Martín Maldonado had an RBI groundout
against Logan Allen in the bottom half.
Angel Reyes retired Josh Naylor on an inning-ending flyout to strand
the bases loaded in the ninth. Brock Dykxhoorn then got three
straight outs for his first save.
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