The USA Baseball team entered Tuesday’s World Baseball Classic against Italy knowing that a win would advance them to the knockout rounds.
Instead, Italy suffered an 8-6 defeat at the hands of the United States, who advanced to the group stage with a 3-0 win in Tuesday’s pool play and were forced to await their fate in the knockout rounds, which are now out of their hands.
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The loss moved the United States to 3-1 and Italy to 3-0. Italy will face Mexico 2-1 on Wednesday in a game that will decide who advances from Group B. Only two teams can advance.
If Italy wins and beats Mexico 2-2, Team USA will advance with a score of 3-1 and Italy, which is 4-0. If Mexico wins and all three teams finish 3-1, a multi-tier tiebreaker will be played. The U.S. didn’t do itself any favors in that tiebreaker after dropping eight points on Tuesday night.
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How tiebreakers work
Here’s how the tiebreaker works and the steps in order. If both sides remain tied after the top line, the tiebreaker will advance to the next game.
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Runs allowed per defensive out
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Points allowed per defensive out
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Highest batting average among teams in a tie
If Mexico wins on Tuesday, the three tied teams will each be tied at 2-1 and the tiebreaker will move to the second step. The final score of Wednesday’s game will affect the runs allowed in the next two levels of the tiebreaker.
Team USA can rest easy knowing it could have been worse. In the first half of the sixth game, the Italian team led 8-0. This score made it difficult for the American team to enter the decider.
The U.S. added some big runs down the stretch, giving them a better chance against Mexico if they win on Wednesday. Of course, the United States did not want to be in this situation in the first place.
Italy takes control early
Neither team scored in the first game, but Italy set the tone of the game in the second game.
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Kyle Teel led off the second inning with a solo home run by American starter Nolan McLean, a 24-year-old rookie from the New York Mets.
McClain then pitched to hit Jacques Caglianone, setting up more Italian fireworks for Sam Antonacci.
Antonacci hit two runs off McClain on his next at-bat, and Italy ended the second inning with a 3-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, it was Caglianone’s turn.
Michael Lorenzen relieved McLean, allowing a leadoff walk to Teel. Caglianone then hit Lorenzen’s sweeper into the right field stands, giving Italy a 5-0 lead and increasing the pressure on the United States.
The Americans succumbed to pressure in the sixth inning.
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Italy put runners on first and second with one out, and American reliever Brad Keller induced Sam Antonacci to hit a potential double grounder. But Keller’s pitch to second was low, and the ball sailed off Bobby Witt Jr.’s glove and into center field.
Instead of a double play, Italy scored.
The Italian team scored two more points before the end of the game, leading 8-0.
U.S. adds potentially significant run
Team USA is not quitting.
Gunnar Henderson hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to advance Team USA. Then, in the seventh inning, Pete Crowe-Armstone hit a blistering three-run homer into the right field bleachers, cutting Italy’s lead to 8-4.
The Americans then scored one more run in the eighth, when Bryce Harper homered with two outs and a corner runner to tie the game. But he hit the inning-ending fly ball and Italy took an 8-5 lead into the quarterfinals.
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Crowe-Armstrong hit his second home run of the game in the ninth inning to take the lead. But the Americans didn’t score again. Italian closer and Red Sox pitcher Greg Weissert struck out Aaron Judge at first base in the final out.
Team USA is now busy with Wednesday’s game between Mexico and Italy.
Italy wins and the United States advances. If Mexico wins. Team USA can only hope that the final set Tuesday night will be enough to get the job done.