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Italy upsets Team USA in World Baseball Classic shocker

March 11, 2026

HOUSTON — Kyle Teel, Sam Antonacci and Jac Caglianone homered as Italy built a big lead and held on to stun Team USA, 8-6, on Tuesday night in the World Baseball Classic.

The U.S. is done with pool play at Daikin Park and needs the Italians (3-0) to beat Mexico (2-1) on 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, a Fullerton High and Cal State Fullerton product, allowed two hits in 4-2/3 scoreless innings to keep the Americans off balance.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (Harvard-Westlake) 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 three-time American League MVP 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 trailing 8-1 with two outs in the seventh when Crow-Armstrong hit a majestic three-run homer to right field.

Kyle Schwarber and Dodgers catcher 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. U.S. starting pitcher Nolan 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 Americans finally got on the board with Henderson’s homer in the sixth.

In other games …

Japan 9, Czech Republic 0: Defending champion Japan completed an unbeaten group stage, erupting late to rout the Czechs at the Tokyo Dome with 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 Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, who is hitting .556 with two home runs, 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.”

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.”

Israel 6, Netherlands 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 3, Puerto Rico 2: 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 edged 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 of 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.

RALEIGH SAYS NO BEEF WITH AROZARENA

Cal Raleigh insisted Tuesday he has no beef with Randy Arozarena even though his Seattle teammate lashed out with a vulgar rant after Raleigh left him hanging for a handshake at the WBC.

The kerfuffle went viral when Arozarena, a two-time All-Star outfielder playing for Mexico, cursed out Raleigh to a reporter after the Team USA catcher did not accept a handshake before an at-bat during the Americans’ 5-3 win.

Speaking to Mexican journalist Luis Gilbert in Spanish, Arozarena said Raleigh “has to thank God that he has nice parents, well educated,” and said he recently hugged them during a friendly greeting at the team hotel.

He then used profane Cuban and Mexican slang to insult Raleigh before pivoting to English and saying Raleigh could shove his “good to see you” in his rear. Arozarena was born in Cuba but defected to Mexico to pursue an MLB career.

Arozarena had reached down to greet Raleigh in his catcher’s squat at home plate, and Raleigh declined to offer his hand back. Raleigh appeared to say something to Arozarena during the exchange at the plate that could have set off the Mexican star.

Arozarena appeared to be visibly upset at Raleigh, though it wasn’t totally clear if he was just having fun at his teammate’s expense. The pair have been teammates since Arozarena was traded from Tampa Bay to Seattle during the 2024 season.

Raleigh called Arozarena a baseball “brother” while explaining there was no tension between the teammates.

“I love Randy, I do,” Raleigh said before the U.S. played Italy on Tuesday night. “I hate that this is a thing. There’s no beef when we get back to Seattle. He’s my brother. We’re family.”

He said he spoke to Arozarena on Tuesday.

“He’s awesome,” Raleigh said. “He’s been great for our team and we talked and this isn’t a big deal at all. So we’re good friends and we’ll continue to be good friends, and I think we’re just enjoying competing against each other right now.”

Mariners manager Dan Wilson told reporters he planned to speak to both of his players Tuesday.

“These guys are incredible athletes because of their competitiveness, and that’s where they’re at, and that’s why they’ve gotten to the level that they’ve gotten,” Wilson said. “But I also know that our team loves each other deeply. And that’s one of the key ingredients we have in that clubhouse, is how much they love each other, and so I don’t anticipate this being any bit of an issue.”

Wilson doesn’t expect whatever happened between the two to linger into the regular season. The Mariners went 90-72 in 2025 and won the franchise’s first AL West title since 2001 in large part behind Raleigh, who became the seventh player in major league history to hit 60 homers in a season.

“Competitiveness is competitiveness,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t matter. Sometimes, it’s a backyard game. Whatever. These guys are competitive. But like I said, I think the love that they have for each other will shine.”

Raleigh said his priority right now is on his U.S. teammates.

“It’s just a competitive environment, and I know he would want the same for me when we’re on the team and playoff baseball,” he said. “I just have a responsibility for my teammates here right now and my country and emotions are running high.”

U.S. manager Mark DeRosa was asked about the incident Tuesday.

“You’re in the fight, man,” he said. “You’re trying to represent your colors, your country. And … I wouldn’t have had a problem if he dabbed him up. I don’t think it shows any (thing) one way or the other. But he chose not to. And I’m good with that, too.”

Judge hit a two-run homer and Roman Anthony added a three-run drive in a big third inning to lead the United States to the win.

Jarren Duran homered twice for Mexico (2-1), which will face Italy on Wednesday night in the last game of Group B play.

Orange County Register

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Italy upsets Team USA in World Baseball Classic shocker

RALEIGH SAYS NO BEEF WITH AROZARENA

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