HOUSTON.- Vinni Pasquantino had not given a single hit in Italy’s first three games in the World Baseball Classic, but today he remembered why he is the captain of the team with three home runs so that the Europeans beat Mexico 9-1 and qualified as leaders of Group B.
The good performance of the first baseman early supported the excellent work of starter Aaron Nola, who went five innings without allowing runs. He walked one and retired five by striking out.
Italy, which reaches the quarterfinals for the second consecutive time, will now face Puerto Rico in Houston. While the US, second with the victory of the Italians, will face Canada, also in the space city.
The Italian first baseman opened the scoreboard in the second inning when he took the ball out of the playing dimensions of Daikin Park, in Houston, through right field against a cutter from Mexican starter Javier Assad.
Jon Berti also took it out two innings later alone against Assad.
Italy added three more in the fifth and Vinnie’s power appeared again with another solo home run in the sixth inning.
With the score 7-1, after one more from the azurra in the seventh and the Aztec discount in the same inning, the spotlight returned to Pasquantino when he served it for the third time in the match. This time against a slider from Robert García.
The Italian first baseman’s three hits went through the same sector of the Houston park.
