Italy to face Venezuela in World Baseball Classic semis
Italy manager Francisco Cervelli (center) celebrates with his players after their 8-6 victory over Puerto Rico saw them advance to the World Baseball Classic semi-finals (Alex Slitz) Wilyer Abreu and Maikel Garcia smashed home runs as Venezuela dethroned defending champion Japan 8-5 on Saturday to reach a World Baseball Classic semi-final against undefeated Italy. The South American team will meet the upstart Italians on Monday in Miami for a berth in Tuesday's championship game against the winner of Sunday's semi-final between the United States and Dominican Republic. Japan had not lost in the Classic since a 2-1 semi-final defeat to the United States in 2017, but Major League Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani could not lift his homeland into the final four.
Abreu's three-run homer in the sixth inning put Venezuela ahead for good and the Boston Red Sox outfielder was overjoyed. "That was an exciting moment," Abreu said. "I just tried to tie the game with a sacrifice fly.
He gave me a really good pitch to hit and I'm really excited for this swing. "I've never been in a place like this. The vibes are very high.
In the semi-finals I hope I can do the same thing as today. " In Saturday's other quarter-final at Houston, Italy held off a late rally to beat Puerto Rico 8-6 and reach the Classic semis for the first time. Red Sox left-handed pitcher Ranger Suarez started for Venezuela against Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto -- last year's World Series Most Valuable Player for the champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Venezuela's Ronald Acuna Jr. , an outfielder for Atlanta and 2023 National League Most Valuable Player, smashed the second pitch by Yamamoto over the centerfield wall for a 1-0 lead. Ohtani, a four-time MLB league MVP and two-time World Series champion with the Dodgers, answered by blasting a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first inning to lift Japan level.