Espresso shots, pricier wine and an unbeaten Italy now bound for the WBC semifinals

HOUSTON (AP) — Warm up the espresso machine and chill the wine, Italy is heading to the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

The Azzurri continued their perfect WBC run with an 8-6 win over Puerto Rico Saturday to earn their first trip to the semifinals.

“It’s amazing,” Italy manager Francisco Cervelli said. “This is great. This is one of the best chapters of my life. It’s incredible. This group, it’s phenomenal.”

They advance to Miami to face defending champion Japan or Venezuela on Monday night.

Italy didn’t homer Saturday after hitting a dozen through its first four wins — and downing espresso shots after each dinger. But its offense still packed enough of a jolt to send the Puerto Ricans home after they had made the quarterfinals for a sixth time.

Just as they have after every victory in this tournament, Italy celebrated with celebratory bottles of wine in the clubhouse postgame. The bottles have gotten nicer with each victory, with the first ones costing around $20 and more than tripling in price since then.

“There were some special bottles of wine today,” first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino said with a smile.

Saturday’s victory came after Italy handed the United States a surprising 8-6 loss in pool play The Azzurri followed with a 9-1 defeat of Mexico that provided the help the Americans needed to reach the quarterfinals.

Cervelli and the players credited the win over the U.S. as the confidence boost this team needed in this history-making run.

“The key was the victory against USA,” Cervelli said. “Those guys beat one of the best teams in the world, best players in the world. Now they’re gonna believe.”

Italy’s success in this tournament is huge for a country in which baseball isn’t nearly as popular as it is in many of the countries competing in the WBC.

“I don’t think it would be hyperbole to say this is the best day in Italian baseball history,” Pasquantino said.

The team has received some criticism because most of the roster is comprised of Italian-Americans, many of whom have never even been to Italy. The players have heard that and brushed it off, saying getting a chance to represent Italy in this tournament has helped them grow closer to their heritage.

“I’m just trying to take in as much as I can because I know that there’s a lot of people that are upset that we represent Italy, being Italian-American, but I take so much pride in it because it is my roots,” Pasquantino said. “My family came over for a better life to America and, I honestly don’t have any issue representing those members of my family and it’s just super cool to be given this opportunity from these guys.”

Andrew Fischer, who drove in two runs in Saturday’s victory, grew up on the Jersey Shore and is fiercely proud of being from New Jersey and of his Italian heritage.

He’s so proud being from New Jersey that he has multiple tattoos on his left arm paying homage to the state. While the tattoos are meant to highlight his home state, prominently featured in that ink is one of the most famous Italian Americans of all: Frank Sinatra.

Fischer already felt close to his Italian roots before the WBC but says this experience has enhanced that feeling.

“Being here and representing it definitely has brought some light to it in my life,” he said.

Now these plucky players will try to keep their undefeated run going and continue to impress the people in the country they represent.

“The level of confidence it’s growing and growing and growing,” Cervelli said. “We've got to stay humble, concentrate and do what we know that’s it. Play our game.”

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