vinnie pasquantino — Italy shocked Team USA 8-6 in Pool B, a result that leaves the Americans facing possible early elimination after pool play; the game featured power from Italy’s lower order and late rallies from the U. S. at LoanDepot Park with knockout implications through the tournament. The upset reshapes tiebreak scenarios as teams prepare for the quarterfinal bracket.
Game snapshot: Italy’s late power and Lorenzen’s start
Italy opened the scoring with bottom-of-the-order power, as Kyle Teel and Sam Antonacci hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the second to make it 3-0. Jac Caglianone added a two-run homer in the fourth, and Italy extended the lead in the sixth after defensive lapses by Team USA accounted for three more runs. Michael Lorenzen, of the Colorado Rockies, started for Italy and delivered 4. 2 shutout innings in a performance credited with stifling the loaded U. S. lineup.
The Americans mounted a late threat: Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a three-run homer in the seventh and another long ball in the ninth to cut the deficit to two runs. USA captain Aaron Judge was the tying run and struck out in the ninth. The 8-6 Italy victory leaves Team USA needing an Italy win over Mexico tomorrow to avoid a complex tiebreak path that could eliminate the Americans before the knockout rounds.
Vinnie Pasquantino and roster notes
Lineup adjustments for Team USA followed the upset. Managerial moves included benching slumping veterans and shifting players infield: Alex Bregman and Bryce Harper sat for the first time this tournament, with Gunnar Henderson moving to third base and Paul Goldschmidt taking over at first. Will Smith, Ernie Clement and Pete Crow-Armstrong replaced Cal Raleigh, Brice Turang and Byron Buxton in the starting nine in this matchup. These changes reflect a tactical reset designed to jump-start an offense that has underperformed relative to expectations.
The game also underlined tournament-wide rules that shape manager decisions: a pitch clock is in effect, hard pitch limits restrict hurler workloads in each round, and mercy rules can end games early in the first two rounds. Those constraints factor into how teams manage bullpens and rest pitchers over the pool stage, which began this past Wednesday and runs through tomorrow.
What’s next: tiebreaks, travel and the road to Miami
Pool outcomes will determine the eight teams that move on to quarterfinals scheduled for Friday and Saturday, split between Miami and Houston, with semifinals set in Miami and the final next Tuesday at 8 p. m. ET. Team USA now requires Italy to beat Mexico tomorrow to avoid a complicated tiebreak scenario that could see the Americans eliminated before the knockout rounds begin.
Expect continued roster scrutiny and tactical adjustments as managers balance pitch limits, rest requirements and lineup form; the tournament’s pitch caps and mandated rest days after higher pitch counts will shape bullpen availability in the coming rounds. The name vinnie pasquantino remains part of roster conversations circulating around this stage of the World Baseball Classic, as teams weigh finishing pool play strongly before bracket play begins.
