It’s the ultimate day of pool play on the World Baseball Classic, and there’s rather a lot driving on the result of Wednesday’s three video games.
In the primary recreation of the day, Canada defeated Cuba 7-2 to advance to the quarterfinals, get rid of Cuba and surpass Puerto Rico to win Group A. Owen Caissie and Otto Lopez every drove in two runs in the Canadians’ victory, and on the mound, Cal Quantrill delivered 5 innings of one-run ball.
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After a shocking 8-6 loss to Italy on Tuesday, the United States wanted Italy to beat Mexico on Wednesday — or have Mexico score no more than four runs in a nine-inning victory — to achieve the quarterfinals. After Italy took a 5-0 lead via 5 innings towards Mexico, because of a tiebreaker state of affairs, the U.S. should be into the quarterfinals — barring extra innings.
Team USA entered Tuesday with an opportunity to go 4-0 in pool play and punch its ticket to the quarterfinals. Instead, the Americans have been shut down by Italy via 5 innings earlier than mounting a comeback that wasn’t fairly sufficient. The Italians stayed undefeated heading into their recreation towards Mexico.
This 12 months marks the sixth iteration of the worldwide baseball match, with Japan the reigning champion after defeating Team USA 3-2 in the 2023 ultimate. The Americans have taken residence one WBC title, again in 2017, they usually’re in search of a second with a loaded roster that features 22 MLB All-Stars — the most of any roster in the match. Among these representing Team USA are Paul Skenes, Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge, simply to call a number of of the celebrities, with the U.S. entering the tournament as the favorite (-105) over Japan (+350) at BetMGM.
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The quarterfinals can be Friday and Saturday (March 13 and 14) and semifinals can be on Sunday and Monday (March 15 and 16). It all culminates with the WBC ultimate on Tuesday, March 17, at loanDepot Park in Miami.
Games will air across Fox, FS1, FS2 and Fox Deportes, with streaming for all video games out there with a Fox One subscription.
Follow together with Yahoo Sports for the most recent information and updates from the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Jack Baer
It’s 6-0 Italy after captain Vinnie Pasquantino slugs his second homer of the sport.
Jack Baer
Italy takes a 5-0 lead on a bases-loaded single from Jakob Marsee and that ensures Team USA will make it to the knockout rounds, barring extra innings. Either Italy will win or Mexico will rating not less than six runs.
Jack Baer
Juan Soto mashed a house in the primary inning to present his coach a 2-0 lead.
Jack Baer
Italy brings in one other run on a Dante Nori sacrifice bunt. Mexico pitcher Brennan Bernardino went for the hero play at residence, however Alejandro Kirk couldn’t get sufficient glove on the ball and Jac Caglianone scored.
Jason Owens
Italian residence runs proceed to be one of many tales of the World Baseball Classic. They’re as much as two towards Mexico after a moonshot to the left-field bleachers from Jon Berti in the highest of the fourth.
Italy’s as much as 10 residence runs in three-plus WBC video games and has a 2-0 lead over Mexico with a spot in the knockout spherical at stake.
Jason Owens
Vinnie Pasquantino’s second-inning residence run stays the one run on the board. Mexico received out of the highest of the third inning with a double-play ball and failed to attain in the underside half of the body.
Italy leads 1-0 via 3.
Jason Owens
Italy is on the board first.
Vinnie Pasquantino hit a deep fly ball to proper subject to steer off the highest of the second that simply cleared the fence for a solo residence run. Jarren Duran had a shot at making a play on the ball, however it landed previous his outstretched glove into the hand of a fan in the primary row.
Italy takes a 1-0 lead into the underside of the second. Good information for Team USA events.
Jack Baer
Jack Baer
We’ll name {that a} good begin. The Mexican starter places Italy down in order in the highest of the primary inning on 15 pitches.
Jack Baer
Mexico pitcher Javier Assad opens the sport with a strikeout of Sam Antonacci. As a reminder, Team USA can rejoice is development the second Mexico scores its fifth run, or if Italy wins.
Jason Owens
In a win or go residence recreation, Canada prevailed, 7-2 over Cuba and has superior out of the San Juan pool alongside Puerto Rico to the knockout spherical.
The loss dropped Cuba to 2-2 behind 3-1 Canada and Puerto Rico, and its World Baseball Classic is over.
Jason Owens
Canada tacked on one other run in the highest of the eighth inning and now has a 6-2 lead heading into the ninth after holding Cuba off the scoreboard in the underside of the body.
Cuba’s down to a few outs to rally from a 4-run deficit.
Jason Owens
Adam Macko received the job performed. He inherited runners on the nook with two outs and a 5-2 lead in the underside.
He issued a stroll earlier than hanging out Marlins prospect Yiddi Cappe swinging to finish the inning. Canada maintains a 5-2 lead via 6 innings.
Jason Owens
Cuba added a run and has runners on the corners with 2 outs in the underside of the sixth inning, trailing 5-2. A high-leverage second right here as Canada’s made a pitching change to Adam Macko.
Jack Baer
With runners on second and third and no outs, Otto Lopez singles in two extra runs for Canada. It’s 5-1 now and Cuba’s going to wish reply rapidly.
Jack Baer
Canada instantly will get that run again, as Matt Davidson reached base on a dropped pop-up, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a double from Bo Naylor, who gained an eight-pitch battle with Yariel Rodríguez.
Jack Baer
A leadoff stroll for Yoel Yanqui turns into a run for Cuba after a throwing error on a pickoff try and an RBI groundout by Yoelkis Guibert. 2-1 Canada.
Jack Baer
Canada takes a 2-0 lead in the highest of the fifth on a solo homer from Abraham Toro. As a reminder, this recreation is win-or-go-home.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Canada nonetheless holds a one-run lead in the highest of the fifth inning.
Jack Baer
Facing a tricky state of affairs, Cuba starter Livan Moinelo struck out Tyler O’Neill and received pop-outs from Abraham Toro and Matt Davidson to maintain the primary inning scoreless.
