Trending Now - Venezuela Stuns Japan and Italy, Advances to WBC Semis

WHO:

Wilyer Abreu, player for Venezuela, celebrated after hitting a go-ahead three-run homer.

Shohei Ohtani, player for Japan, expressed disappointment after the loss, stating, "I was really disappointed."

Francisco Cervelli, Italy manager, stated, "Imagine doing this for the first time and arrive to the semifinal. It's amazing. This is great. This is one of the best chapters of my life."

Vinnie Pasquantino, Italy captain, said, "I don’t think it would be hyperbole to say this is the best day in Italian baseball history, just getting here."

Team Venezuela, Team Japan, Team Italy, Team Puerto Rico, Francisco Cervelli (Italy manager), Vinnie Pasquantino (Italy captain), Ronald Acuña Jr. (Venezuela), Shohei Ohtani (Japan), Wilyer Abreu (Venezuela), Daniel Palencia (Venezuela), Maikel Garcia (Venezuela), Seth Lugo (Puerto Rico), Greg Weissert (Italy), and 34,291 fans.

WHAT:

Venezuela defeated Japan 8-5 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, marking Japan's first loss in the tournament after an 11-game winning streak.

Wilyer Abreu's three-run homer in the sixth inning was his first of the tournament and drove 409 feet to right field.

Maikel Garcia hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, which was his first of the tournament.

Ezequiel Tovar scored after leading off the eighth inning with a double, which was followed by a throwing error by Atsuki Taneichi on a pickoff attempt.

Venezuela clinched a spot in the six-nation field for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament, along with the United States and the Dominican Republic.

Venezuela defeated Japan 8-5 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Venezuela clinched a spot in the six-nation field for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament, along with the United States and the Dominican Republic.

Ohtani's home run was his third of the tournament, and he had a .462 batting average with seven RBIs in the 2026 WBC.

Italy defeated Puerto Rico 8-6 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Italy's victory marked the farthest the team has advanced in the World Baseball Classic, reaching the semifinals for the first time.

Venezuela's victory over Japan was its first win against the defending champions in World Baseball Classic history.

Venezuela's victory over Japan marked its first advancement to the World Baseball Classic semifinals since 2009.

Venezuela clinched a spot in the six-nation field for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament.

Wilyer Abreu's home run was his first of the tournament, driving a 2-1 four-seam fastball 409 feet to right.

Ezequiel Tovar scored after leading off the eighth inning with a double, which was followed by a throwing error by Atsuki Taneichi on a pickoff attempt.

Japan's 11-game WBC winning streak was snapped with this loss.

Shohei Ohtani's home run was his third of the tournament, hit 427 feet to center.

Enmanuel De Jesus pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings for the win, and Daniel Palencia earned the save.

Venezuela defeated Japan 8-5 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Wilyer Abreu hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth inning.

Venezuela will face Italy in the semifinals on March 16th, 2026.

Italy won against Puerto Rico 8-6 in the quarterfinals.

Italy scored four runs in the first inning and four runs in the fourth inning.

Italy's victory marked the farthest they have advanced in the World Baseball Classic, reaching the semifinals for the first time.

WHERE:

The quarterfinal match between Italy and Puerto Rico took place at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas.

The quarterfinal match between Venezuela and Japan took place at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida.

The quarterfinals were held at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida, and Daikin Park in Houston, Texas.

WHEN:

The quarterfinal match between Venezuela and Japan took place on March 14th, 2026.

Venezuela will face Italy in the semifinals on March 16th, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET.

The quarterfinal match between Venezuela and Japan took place on March 14th, 2026.

Venezuela will face Italy in the semifinals on March 16th, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET.

Italy's quarterfinal victory against Puerto Rico occurred on March 14th, 2026.

Venezuela's match against Japan took place on March 14th, 2026.

The match between Venezuela and Japan occurred on March 14th, 2026.

Italy's quarterfinal victory against Puerto Rico was on March 14th, 2026, before a crowd of 34,299 fans at Daikin Park.

Venezuela's match against Japan took place on March 14th, 2026.

Italy's match against Puerto Rico occurred on March 14th, 2026.

The semifinals will be held on March 16th, 2026.

WHY:

Italy's success is attributed to a roster of young, talented major and minor leaguers of Italian-American descent, aiming to raise the profile of baseball in Italy.

HOW:

Enmanuel De Jesus pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings for the win, and Daniel Palencia earned the save by getting Shohei Ohtani to pop out for the final out.

Abreu's home run was hit off Hiromi Itoh, the reigning winner of the Sawamura Award, and traveled 409 feet to right field.

Italy scored four runs in the first inning and four more in the fourth inning against Puerto Rico, with contributions from players like Pasquantino, Dominic Canzone, and Jac Caglianone.

Italy's early scoring included four runs in the first inning and four more in the fourth, with contributions from players like Vinnie Pasquantino, Dominic Canzone, and Jac Caglianone.

Venezuela's victory involved a comeback from a deficit, highlighted by Abreu's home run and effective pitching from Daniel Palencia.

Italy's win included aggressive batting, with multiple players contributing to the scoring through walks and timely hits.

(UPDATED March 15, 2026 17:03 UTC)

In a stunning upset, Venezuela defeated Japan 8 to 5 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, marking Japan's first loss in the tournament after an impressive eleven-game winning streak. Wilyer Abreu and Maikel Garcia both hit their first home runs of the tournament, while Enmanuel De Jesus pitched two and a third scoreless innings to secure the win. With this victory, Venezuela has clinched a spot in the six-nation field for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament and will face Italy in the semifinals on March 16 at 8 p.m. ET.

(UPDATED March 15, 2026 13:17 UTC)

In an exciting quarterfinal match of the 2026 World Baseball Classic on March 14, Venezuela triumphed over Japan with a score of 8 to 5, thanks in part to Wilyer Abreu's impressive three-run homer that soared 409 feet to right field. Following the game, Japan's Shohei Ohtani expressed his disappointment, noting, "I was really disappointed," despite hitting his third home run of the tournament and maintaining a .462 batting average with seven RBIs. With this victory, Venezuela secured a spot in the six-nation field for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament and will face Italy in the semifinals on March 16 at 8 p.m. ET.

(UPDATED March 15, 2026 11:02 UTC)

In a historic moment for Italian baseball, Italy defeated Puerto Rico 8 to 6 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, marking the first time the team has advanced to the semifinals. After the game, Italy's manager Francisco Cervelli expressed his amazement at the achievement, while captain Vinnie Pasquantino declared it the best day in Italian baseball history. Meanwhile, Venezuela celebrated its own milestone, securing its first-ever victory against Japan, the defending champions, on the same day.

(UPDATED March 15, 2026 07:16 UTC)

In a thrilling match on March 14, Venezuela defeated Japan, marking its first advancement to the World Baseball Classic semifinals since 2009 and clinching a spot in the six-nation field for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament. Wilyer Abreu hit his first home run of the tournament, driving a four-seam fastball 409 feet to right, while Enmanuel De Jesus pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings for the win, snapping Japan's impressive 11-game WBC winning streak. Earlier that day, Italy triumphed over Puerto Rico in another quarterfinal match, thanks to a strong performance from their young roster, which included four runs in both the first and fourth innings.

(UPDATED March 15, 2026 05:29 UTC)

In an exciting quarterfinal matchup at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Venezuela triumphed over Japan with a score of 8 to 5, thanks in part to Wilyer Abreu's pivotal three-run home run in the sixth inning. Meanwhile, Italy secured their spot in the semifinals for the first time by defeating Puerto Rico 8 to 6, showcasing a strong offensive performance with four runs in both the first and fourth innings. Venezuela will now face Italy in the semifinals on March 16, 2026, as both teams look to continue their historic runs in the tournament.