Italy's historic run at the World Baseball Classic ended with a 4-2 loss to Venezuela in the semifinals. Despite the defeat, the Italian team made a significant impact on baseball in their home country.
Key Takeaways
Italy's historic World Baseball Classic run ended with a 4-2 loss to Venezuela in the semifinals. Despite the defeat, Italy made a significant impact on baseball in their home country.
- Italy defeated Puerto Rico to secure its first-ever WBC semifinal berth
- The team was eliminated after losing 4-2 to Venezuela in the semifinals
- Only three players on the Italian roster were born in Italy
- Team celebrations included espresso shots and bottles of wine after victories
- The team's success has sparked interest in baseball back home
The Azzurri stunned with a 5-0 start to reach their first WBC semifinal, putting a spotlight on a soccer-crazed country where baseball is less popular than in many other participating nations. Italy's victory over Puerto Rico secured their spot in the semifinals, thanks to Dylan DeLucia's four scoreless innings.
The Italian team gained attention for their unique celebrations, including sipping espresso shots and donning Giorgio Armani jackets after home runs. Team captain Vinnie Pasquantino also gives each home-run hitter a kiss on both cheeks. Following each victory, players receive bottles of wine, with selections ranging from Francesco Rinaldi Barolo to Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico.
Italy's roster includes only three players born in Italy: Sam Aldegheri, Gabriele Quattrini, and Claudio Scotti. The team also features Philadelphia All-Star pitcher Aaron Nola and Kansas City All-Star first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. Despite the limited number of Italian-born players, the team has made a significant impact, with their success garnering attention in Italy.
The team's manager, Francisco Cervelli, noted that baseball is not widely played or watched in Italy, particularly in the south. However, their recent victories have sparked interest and support back home. The expectation is that this young roster will be back and more experienced in future WBCs by then they’re hoping baseball in Italy will have skyrocketed in popularity.
Italy blew a 2-1 seventh-inning lead Monday when Michael Lorenzen allowed consecutive run-scoring singles with two outs to Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia, and Luis Arraez. The Azzurri became the surprise of the tournament, handing the United States a surprising 8-6 loss in pool play and following that with a 9-1 defeat of Mexico when Pasquantino had the WBC’s first three-homer game.
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