The United States has advanced to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) quarter-finals thanks to Italy’s 9-1 win over Mexico. Vinnie Pasquantino’s historic three-homer game powered Italy to victory, securing the Americans’ spot as the second-place team in Pool B. The win provided much-needed relief for the US after their 8-6 loss to Italy on Tuesday, which had left their quarter-final hopes uncertain. Pasquantino, who started the tournament 0 for 12, homered leading off the second, sixth, and eighth innings, becoming the first player in this WBC to hit three home runs in a single game. Jon Berti also contributed a homer, helping Italy build a commanding lead early. Italy now advances to face Puerto Rico in Houston on Saturday, while the US will play Canada a day earlier in the quarter-finals. Canada advanced past the first round for the first time in WBC history, defeating Cuba 7-2 in a winner-take-all matchup in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Mexico’s defeat eliminated the team from qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a disappointing result for a squad that had finished third in the 2023 WBC. Italy, meanwhile, finished pool play 4-0, marking a historic achievement for a European team in the tournament. No other European team has won more than two games in a row in WBC history. Pasquantino’s celebrations were uniquely Italian, as he took an espresso shot after each homer. He began his historic night with a bunt attempt on the first pitch, then launched a home run to right field off Javier Assad in the second inning. Berti added a homer to left in the fourth inning, doubling Italy’s lead. In the fifth, Dante Nori’s sacrifice bunt scored a run, followed by Jakob Marsee’s two-run single to extend the lead to 5-0. Pasquantino continued his hot streak with homers in the sixth against Daniel Duarte and the eighth off Robert Garcia. Aaron Nola, the winning pitcher for Italy, allowed four hits and struck out five over five scoreless innings. Assad took the loss, giving up four runs and four hits in four and one-third innings. Mexico threatened in the seventh inning, loading the bases with no outs, but managed only one run on a groundout by Alek Thomas. Canada’s historic victory over Cuba was led by Abraham Toro’s home run and Otto Lopez’s two-run single. Brothers Bo and Josh Naylor contributed key RBIs, Owen Caissie added two RBIs, and reliever James Paxton struck out six over two and two-thirds scoreless innings. Canada finished 3-1 in Group A, eliminating Cuba, who were knocked out of the WBC first round for the first time, while Puerto Rico also advanced. The quarter-finals in Houston will feature US vs. Canada and Italy vs. Puerto Rico, setting up an exciting weekend of high-stakes baseball. Analysts highlight the significance of Italy’s performance, which showcased both historic individual achievements and a strong team effort from a European nation in a traditionally Americas-dominated tournament. With momentum on their side, the US team will look to leverage Italy’s win and their own strengths as they aim for a deeper run in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.