Vinnie Pasquantino might not be able to sleep tonight after a performance for the ages for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic.
The Royals first baseman became the first player in history to homer three times in a WBC game, leading the Italians to a 9-1 romp over Mexico at Daikin Park on Wednesday to clinch a perfect record in pool play and a spot in the quarterfinals.
It meant Pasquantino, who was hyped over the win, had to take three shots of espresso in the Italian dugout, as is customary every time a member of the team hits a home run.
“I’m caffeinated. I’m beaned up right now,” Pasquantino said during his on-field interview with FS1 after the game.
The Italian captain came into the game 0-for-12 in this year’s tournament and having never hit three home runs in any game before. His heroics fueled an Italian win that ensured Team USA and Royals teammate Bobby Witt Jr. also advanced to the quarterfinals.
“You’re welcome, USA. We were thinking of you guys over at your hotel,” Pasquantino said with a hint of sarcasm. “We were thinking of you guys, so I’m glad you guys are joining us in the party.”
The 28-year-old, who tried to bunt in his first at-bat to look to get going, set the tone early with a solo homer to right field off Mexico starter Javier Assad to give the Italians a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
He went deep again off the Mets’ Daniel Duarte in the sixth to extend the lead to 6-0 and made it the trifecta in the eighth against Rangers’ hurler Robert Garcia to make it 8-1. Pasquantino walked in his final plate appearance.
The performance impressed Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“Go crazy then! @VPasquantino,” Mahomes posted on X after the third homer.
Team Italy, which will play Puerto Rico in the next round on Saturday, has been an offensive juggernaut in the WBC so far, even as Pasquantino has struggled, as it has not scored fewer than eight runs in any of its four games so far.
“I don’t even know what I’m feeling right now,” Pasquantino said. “I’ve never felt this before. I know we haven’t won anything. We won the pool and we advanced, but we weren’t supposed to, right? We had expectations that we could and we did.”
Pasquantino has been impressive during his four seasons in Kansas City, especially the past two. He is coming off a campaign where he hit .264 with 32 homers, 33 doubles, 113 RBIs and a .798 OPS.
He’s hoping Team Italy will be drinking plenty more espresso as they look to make a run deeper into the tournament.
“As many as we need when asked if more pods are on order,” Pasquantino said. “We’ll make it happen. That was unbelievable, huh.”
