Italy scored four runs in the first inning, chasing Puerto Rican starter Seth Lugo en route to an 8-6 win in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic in Houston on Saturday afternoon.
Italy remain unbeaten and advance to Tuesday’s semifinals to face the winners of Saturday’s quarterfinals between Venezuela and Japan.
Italian right fielder Jac Caglianone (14), center fielder Jakob Marsee (5) and outfielder Nick Morabito (7) celebrate after a game against Puerto Rico.
JJ D’Orazio drove in a triple and Andrew Fischer added a two-run double for Italy, which erased a 1-0 deficit with a four-run run in the first and then extended its lead to 8-2 with a four-run fourth. Dylan Delucia pitched four scoreless innings in middle relief, and Greg Weissert struck out the final five innings to earn his third save of the tournament.
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Puerto Rico’s Willi Castro homered off Italian starter Sam Aldegheri (1-0), but Lugo (1-1) retired just one batter in the bottom of the first inning. He was pulled after allowing four runs, three hits and two walks.
Christian Vazquez added a two-run single with one out in the eighth to end a four-run inning and pull Puerto within 8-6, but Wessert retired five of six batters after a tying home run.
This article originally appeared in The Detroit News: WBC: Italy stays hot, knocks out Puerto Rico to advance to semifinals
