Vinnie Pasquantino delivered a historic performance in the World Baseball Classic, blasting three home runs as Italy surged to a 9–1 lead over Mexico in the ninth inning of their final Pool B matchup. The Kansas City Royals first baseman entered the game in a slump but erupted at the perfect moment, powering Italy toward a perfect group-stage record.
Italy entered the contest undefeated at 3–0 and quickly took control against Mexico. Pasquantino started the offensive barrage with a solo home run in the second inning before launching another in the sixth. Jon Berti added a towering solo homer in the fourth to continue Italy’s power display. The offense also relied on timely execution, as Dante Nori laid down a bunt in the fifth inning that allowed Jac Caglianone to score. Moments later, Jacob Marsee delivered a two-run single to stretch the lead. Pasquantino then capped his historic night with a third solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, completing the first three-homer game in World Baseball Classic history. On the mound, Aaron Nola kept Mexico’s lineup quiet, while Mexico starter Javier Assad struggled after allowing multiple home runs before exiting the game.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale took to his official X, formerly Twitter, and highlighted the Royals slugger's historic moment on the platform.
“Vinny Pasquantino, who was 0-for-12 coming into the game, sets a WBC record with his 3rd HR.”
ESPN’s Jeff Passan also addressed the milestone on the platform, noting Pasquantino stands alone as the first player to accomplish the feat in the tournament’s 20-year history.
Italy’s dominant showing carries major tournament implications. With the team now just three outs away from improving to 4–0, Mexico faces elimination from Pool B contention. Meanwhile, Team USA, which already finished its pool play at 3–1, is watching closely. If the score holds, Italy will sweep Pool B while the United States advances to the quarterfinals as the group’s second-place team.
