Team USA, Mark DeRosa Get Bailed Out By Italy, Advance In World Baseball Classic

Well, Team USA has been spared an absolutely humiliating exit from the 2026 World Baseball Classic, thanks to the American team of Italians. 

This all started on Tuesday, when the manager of Team USA, Mark DeRosa, made a series of bewildering decisions against Team Italy. DeRosa admitted before the game that many of their stars had been up late, celebrating their win over Team Mexico in Pool Play. That raised some eyebrows, with some X users pointing out that this implied the coaching staff did not understand the tiebreaker rules. 

Despite the US winning their first three games, they had yet to clinch a spot in the knockout round, due to the possibility of a three-way tie between Italy, the US, and Mexico, which would come down to "runs allowed." DeRosa then admitted after the 8-6 loss to Italy that they had not fully understood the rules or done the math on the tiebreaker. 

RELATED: Mark DeRosa Should Never Manage Team USA Again After Admitting The Unthinkable

The US needed Italy to win, or for Mexico to score at least 5 runs in a win…all while avoiding extra innings entirely, in order to advance. And thanks to the power of espresso, they're on their way through.

Italy catcher J.J. D'Orazio celebrates first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino's home run against Mexico in the second inning at Daikin Park. (Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images)

Italy Holds Off Mexico In Houston To Send USA Through

One of the most surprising stories of the first round of the World Baseball Classic this year has been the hitting prowess of Team Italy. Yes, the US coaching staff didn't exactly manage the game with the urgency it required, but it was still impressive that they put up eight runs against solid Major League quality pitching.

Well, that offensive showcase continued against Mexico on Wednesday, thanks in part to Vinnie Pasquantino putting up one of the best individual performances we've seen in this tournament's history. 

Italy scored early and often, as Pasquantino hit a solo home run in the second. Jon Berti added another solo homer, before a fifth inning rally all but sealed the deal for Team USA. Dante Nori put down a perfect sacrifice bunt to bring in a run, then Jakob Marsee singled in two more to make it 5-0. With Mexico needing to score at least 6 runs to win, that made it extremely unlikely for Team USA to get eliminated. 

Pasquantino made sure of it later on, hitting his second homer of the game in the 6th inning to extend the lead to 6-0. More clutch hitting by Berti got it to 7-0, and Italy escaped a jam in the bottom of the 7th, allowing just one run after Mexico loaded the bases with nobody out. Then Pasquantino struck again, making it 8-1 with his third homer.

Mexico couldn't cash in on any further opportunities, and the US was officially through. It should have never come down to tiebreakers, and it certainly should have never come down to a manager and coaching staff admitting they didn't understand the rules of a tournament that only happens once every three years. Seems like that would have been worth investigating, but here we are. 

This result sets up a huge quarterfinal matchup against Team Canada. We took their sport in the Milan Olympics, now we get to defend ours in the World Baseball Classic.