USA Takes Sweep as Team USA Seeks World Cup Victory in 2026 WBSC Semis!

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 14: Wilyer Abreu #16 of Team Venezuela celebrates his home run with team during the sixth inning against Team Japan during the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot park on March 14, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images The field was halved Friday in the WBC, and once again Saturday, with a pair of impressive games and historic milestones for national baseball in Italy and Venezuela. Yesterday’s matchups and how the Mariners performed: Italy 8, Puerto Rico 6 The caffeinated fairy tale continues.

Facing the ace of Team Puerto Rico in Royals starter Seth Lugo, Italy bounced back from a leadoff homer by PR star Willi Castro to stake a 4-1 lead after the first. While a bases-loaded HBP cut the score to 4-2 in the 2nd and ensured neither club’s starter recorded more than four outs, Italy’s lead swelled to a seemingly-insurmountable 8-2 in the 4th despite one of the more egregious fan interferences you’re likely to see. The threadbare Puerto Rican roster fought back ferociously, but came up just short against Red Sox reliever Jacob Weissert, who encored his shutdown performance in Italy’s upset of Team USA to cover the final 1.

2 frames and send home the plucky Puerto Ricans 8-6. The lone Mariner to play was Dominic Canzone notching a 1-for-3 night with two walks, two runs. That said, former M’s abounded in this one, with Yacksel Rios and Edwin Diaz working 1.

2 combined scoreless frames for PR. Dan Altavilla was sterling in his inning for Italy, but Matt Festa ran into trouble with his command and was instrumental to the comeback effort that the Italians managed to quash. It’s Italy’s first trip to the semifinals in the WBC, while for Puerto Rico an exit earlier than hoped, but more than worthy of pride given the absence of 3-4 of the island’s stars.