Team USA can officially exhale.
After Italy cruised to a 9–1 victory in Wednesday’s Pool B matchup against Mexico, Team USA has officially advanced in the World Baseball Classic.
The U.S. will now take on Canada in the WBC quarterfinal on Friday at 8 p.m. ET at Houston’s Daikin Park.
Following their stunning upset loss to the Italians on Tuesday, the U.S. juggernaut had faced the risk of elimination under the tournament’s complicated tiebreaker rules — which even stumped manager Mark DeRosa.
Team USA needed either Italy to win or Mexico to score at least five runs.
Fortunately, it received the former.