Italy Upsets USA in World Baseball Classic Fueled by Dugout Kisses and Shots of Espresso

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Italy's Jac Caglianone celebrates with espresso after his homer
Credit: Kenneth Richmond/Getty

NEED TO KNOW​

• Team Italy has added a jolt to its dugout celebrations
• After a player hits a home run, he also downs a shot of espresso
• The espresso machine has been a staple for the team, which is 3-0 so far at the World Baseball Classic

Team USA got a wake-up call after their 8-6 loss to Italy on Tuesday night — but it was the Italians who were drinking the coffee.

Among the traditions various teams embrace after hitting home runs, Italy has eschewed the jackets and the handshakes and instead craves caffeinated celebrations.

While it’s nothing new — they have had an espresso maker in their dugout at the World Baseball Classic since 2023, according to MLB.com — it’s certainly giving a jolt to the team.

With their unexpected win over the U.S., the team is now 3-0 in pool B action at Daikin Park in Houston. Italy first defeated Brazil 8-0 before beating Great Britain 7-4 on Sunday.

On Tuesday night, Italy’s catcher Kyle Teel, shortstop Sam Antonacci and right fielder Jac Caglianone all hit home runs, leading team captain Vinnie Pasquantino to hand each a shot of espresso. For good measure, Pasquantino kissed the players on each cheek.

While drinking hot coffee in a humid Houston dugout may seem odd, it’s becoming practice for the players.

"It’s something normal,” manager Francisco Cervelli said. “We got it on the bus. We’ve had it in the dugout, everywhere."

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Dante Nori downs an espresso after his homer
Credit: Rob Tringali/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty

In addition, downing a shot of the strong stuff reminds the athletes about their ancestry as well, he said.

"In Italy, we drink coffee about 20 times a day," Cervelli, a former MLB catcher who won a World Series with the Yankees in 2009, said. "It’s a tradition. You’re walking down the road. You see a coffee spot, get some coffee. Then you chitchat, and then keep walking and do the same thing all over and over again. That’s how Italy is."

As far as Houston goes, the massive upset of Team USA has Italy sitting pretty. Meanwhile, USA — behind its stars Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr. and Clayton Kershaw — will have to sit and wait to see if it can advance out of pool play. They now need Italy to beat Mexico — or for Mexico to win by more than a score of 4-3, due to the complexity of the rules.

"You always like having your destiny in your own hands, and we had it right in front of us," Judge, the Team USA captain, told reporters after the game. "We knew we were focused on what we had to do today. Italy is a great team, and they definitely showed it today. But yeah, whatever happened yesterday has nothing to do with what happened today.”

He added, “Now, we just need a little luck, and we'll see what happens."

Read the original article on People

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