Italy upset the United States, causing chaos in Group B standings; the U.S. faces elimination risk.

When the initial celebrations at this World Baseball Classic became too intense, they lowered the temperature of the espresso machine in the dugout. However, in today's group stage game at Houston's Minute Maid Park, Italy surprisingly defeated the United States 8–6, now officially becoming the hottest team in Group B.

The championship dream of the U.S. team's historically strongest roster was interrupted by the Italians with a performance full of "home-town power." Although the U.S. team's late comeback was quite thrilling, Italy had already finished their espresso by then.

Catcher Kyle Teel, shortstop Sam Antonacci, and right fielder Jac Caglianone all homered, while starter Michael Lorenzen suppressed the star-studded U.S. lineup for 4.2 innings. These players, who sang Italian songs hand-in-hand in the aisle of the charter flight to Houston, have the opportunity to shock the baseball world by winning Group B's top spot in tomorrow's final group stage game against Mexico and advancing to the quarterfinals as the No. 1 seed.

If Italy defeats Mexico, they will advance with a perfect 4–0 record in the group stage for the first time in their six Classic appearances. In that scenario, the U.S. team, which has a bye tomorrow, would advance as the No. 2 seed. If Mexico defeats Italy, then Italy, the United States, and Mexico would all be 3–1, and the rankings would be determined by the ratio of runs allowed divided by defensive outs, with the top two teams advancing.

This was not the script the U.S. team envisioned before the game, but their early smooth momentum was broken by the Italians.

Teel and Antonacci, both from the Chicago White Sox system, seized Nolan McLean's four-seam fastballs in the second inning, hitting two home runs to give Italy a 3–0 lead. Unfortunately, Teel suffered a right hamstring injury after hitting a double in the sixth inning and was forced to leave the game early.

In the top of the fourth inning, Caglianone blasted a two-run homer off Ryan Yarbrough with an exit velocity of 110.4 mph, making the 38,653 American spectators nervous. The sixth inning saw a complete collapse for the U.S. team: reliever Brad Keller committed a throwing error and threw a wild pitch, allowing Italy to score three runs in the inning and take an unimaginable 8–0 lead.

The U.S. team's豪华 lineup ultimately would not surrender easily. Gunnar Henderson hit a solo home run off Dan Altavilla in the sixth inning to put the U.S. on the board. In the seventh inning, Pete Crow-Armstrong—who had just fouled off a pitch in his previous at-bat—targeted Alek Jacob and launched a three-run homer that ignited the stadium, narrowing the score to 4–8.

The U.S. team continued their comeback in the eighth inning: after two outs, they occupied first and second base, and Roman Anthony hit a RBI single to left field, reducing the deficit to three runs. When Bryce Harper came up as a pinch hitter against Ron Marinaccio and fought to a full count, the entire stadium stood up, but Harper eventually flew out to left field, ending the rally.

In the ninth inning, with one out, Crow-Armstrong homered again, bringing the score to 6–8. Bobby Witt Jr. hit a single, putting the tying run at the plate. After two outs, standing at the plate was last year's AL MVP Aaron Judge. However, Italian reliever Greg Weissert from the Boston Red Sox struck out the U.S. captain, ending the game.