The 2026 World Baseball Classic continues Saturday with two quarterfinal showdowns. Italy opened with an 8-6 win over Puerto Rico in Houston. In the late game, Venezuela faces Japan in Miami.
Japan was one of three teams to emerge from pool play undefeated, along with the Dominican Republic and Italy. World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto started on the mound Saturday for Team Japan, while Venezuela (3-1 in pool play) countered with Ranger Suarez.
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In the first game, Willi Castro gave Puerto Rico a 1-0 lead with a home run, but Italy responded by scoring four runs against Seth Lugo. Italy then added four more in the fourth with back-to-back bases-loaded doubles — one aided by a fan interference call. Puerto Rico rallied to score four runs in the eighth and close the deficit to two runs. But Greg Weissert pitched the final 1 2/3 innings to close out Italy’s trip to the semifinals in Miami.
The winners of Saturday’s WBC games advance to the semifinals and will face off on Monday at loanDepot Park in Miami, joining the United States and the Dominican Republic among the tournament’s final four teams.
Saturday’s WBC schedule, how to watch
Japan vs. Venezuela: 9 p.m. ET on Fox/Fubo
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Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest World Baseball Classic news and highlights coming out of Saturday’s quarterfinal matchups:
Live101 updates
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:48 p.m. EDT
Ezequiel Tovar got on board with a leadoff double.
Then, with Tovar on his way to third, a pickoff attempt went very wrong, with the ball caroming into center field and Tovar scampering home.
That’s an error on Japanese pitcher Atsuki Taneichi and an 8-5 lead for Venezuela.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:42 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
That’s 1-2-3 inning for Zerpa. If Japan doesn’t get another baserunner, Venezuela won’t have to face Ohtani again.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:40 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Angel Zerpa strikes out Ohtani. Venezuela exhales.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:38 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Shohei Ohtani got strike 2 on a foul tip, but insisted there was catcher’s interference, to the point of taking his elbow guard off. The call stands on review.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:35 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:32 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Atsuki Taneichi takes the mound for Japan and throws a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Shohei Ohtani is due up second for the bottom of the frame.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:26 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:25 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Buttó keeps the sixth scoreless. On to the seventh.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:20 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Emmanuel De Jesus gets a flyout from Munetaka Murakami and that will end his night with 2 1/3 scoreless inning. A quiet hero for Venezuela tonight after Japan’s early breakthrough.
José Buttó enters for Venezuela.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:15 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Hiromi Itoh ends the inning with a strikeout of Ronald Acuña Jr., but the damage is done. That’s the 2025 Sawamura Award winner, Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young Award, that Venezuela just scored a haymaker on.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:13 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:13 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:11 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Wilyer Abreu crushes a high fastball to the second deck, and Venezuela has the lead again. What a game.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:10 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:09 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Now a hit-and-run with Gleyber Torres giving Venezuela runners on the corners with no outs. Dangerous time for Japan.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:08 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Ezequiel Tovar leads off the sixth with a single, and Venezuela now has the tying run aboard with no outs.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:05 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 11:03 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Emmanuel De Jesus throws a dominant fifth inning against the 3-4-5 of the Japan order. To the sixth we go as Hiromi Itoh takes the mound for Japan.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 10:55 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer
Eugenio Suárez ends an eight-pitch battle with a pop-out to end the inning. Now we see if Japan responds.
Sat, March 14, 2026 at 10:50 p.m. EDT
Jack Baer