HOUSTON (AP) — A day later than its manager originally proclaimed, the United States punched its ticket to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic.

The Americans got the help they needed from Italy and could start to relax by the middle innings as Italy routed Mexico 9-1 on Wednesday night, giving the Azzurri the top spot in Group B and assuring the Americans advancement as the second-place team.

kAmp7E6C ‘:??:6 !2DBF2?E:?@ 925 E96 (qr’D 7:CDE E9C66\9@>6C 82>6 E@ =625 E96 xE2=:2?D E@ G:4E@CJ[ E96 z2?D2D r:EJ #@J2=D A=2J6C 925 2 >6DD286 7@C E96 p>6C:42?D]k^Am

kAm“*@F’C6 H6=4@>6[ &]$]p][” 96 D2:5] “(6 H6C6 E9:?<:?8 @7 J@F 8FJD @G6C 2E J@FC 9@E6=] (6 H6C6 E9:?<:?8 @7 J@F 8FJD] $@ x’> 8=25 J@F 4@F=5 ;@:? FD 😕 E96 A2CEJ]”k^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^@9E2?:\;2A2?\H34\4K649\C6AF3=:4\cb62ehcdf3`2g5c7f44bhg_eac62a_fcQmxE2=J 362E E96 &]$] g\ek^2m 2 ?:89E 62C=:6C[ EFC?:?8 E96 p>6C:42?D :?E@ DA64E2E@CD 2D E96J 9@A65 E@ 2G@:5 6=:>:?2E:@?] %96 xE2=:2?D — 7:6=5:?8 2 C@DE6C DE24<65 H:E9 p>6C:42?D @7 xE2=:2? 96C:E286 — 7:?:D965 c\_ H9:=6 E96 &]$] H6?E b\`]k^Am

kAm|6I:4@ Wa\aX[ H9:49 =@DE E@ E96 &]$][ H2D 6=:>:?2E65 7C@> E96 (qr 2?5 7C@> BF2=:7J:?8 7@C E96 a_ag {@D p?86=6D ~=J>A:4D]k^Am

kAm%96 p>6C:42?D H:== DE2J 😕 w@FDE@? E@ >66E r2?252[ H9:49 25G2?465 A2DE 7:CDE C@F?5 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6[ @? uC:52J ?:89E] xE2=J H:== A=2J !F6CE@ #:4@ 😕 E96 @E96C BF2CE6C7:?2= 2E s2:<:? !2C< @? $2EFC52J]k^Am

kAm%96 &]$][ H:E9 2? p==\$E2C\7:==65 C@DE6C[ 2=D@ 362E qC:E2:? 2?5 qC2K:= 😕 8C@FA A=2J]k^Am

kAmp7E6C E96 =@DD E@ xE2=J[ &]$] >2?286C |2C< s6#@D2 7:6=565 BF6DE:@?D 23@FE H96E96C 96 E9@F89E 9:D E62> 925 2=C625J D64FC65 2 DA@E 😕 E96 BF2CE6C7:?2=D H:E9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^D@FE9\<@C62\2FDEC2=:2\H34\`5bacb5`b5`fga4276gf`c277fa323f5Qm|@?52J ?:89E’D H:? @G6C |6I:4@k^2m 3642FD6 @7 9:D 4@>>6?ED @? 2 E6=6G:D:@? 2AA62C2?46 E96 ?6IE >@C?:?8]k^Am

kAmx? E92E :?E6CG:6H[ 96 D2:5i “%@? @7 C6DA64E 7@C xE2=J — :E’D H6:C5 — H6 H2?E E@ H:? E9:D 82>6 6G6? E9@F89 @FC E:4<6E’D AF?4965 E@ E96 BF2CE6C7:?2=D 3642FD6 |6I:4@ A=2JD xE2=J 24EF2==J E@>@CC@H] $@[ E96 H2J E96 D4965F=6 =:?6D FA E9:D 😀 2? :>A@CE2?E 82>6 7@C FD]”k^Am

kAms6#@D2 D2:5 96 “>:DDA@<6” 😕 E92E :?E6CG:6H 2?5 5:5 ?@E 36=:6G6 E96 E62> 925 2=C625J 4=:?4965 2 DA@E]k^Am

kAm}@H E92E E96 p>6C:42?D 2C6 😕 E96 BF2CE6C7:?2=D[ E96J @H E96J ?665 E@ H:? E@ >@G6 @? E@ |:2>:]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! |{qi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^>=3Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^>=3k^2mk^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.