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Team Italy hero Michael Lorenzen breaks silence on taking down Team USA
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- Team Italy hero Michael Lorenzen breaks silence on taking down Team USA
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Team Italy hero Michael Lorenzen is spoke out after delivering one of the biggest upsets in World Baseball Classic history. The veteran right-hander set the tone on the mound Tuesday night, helping Team Italy defeat Team USA 8-6 at Daikin Park in Houston while shaking up the entire Pool B standings.
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The performance from Lorenzen proved to be the foundation of Italy's shocking upset win. The right-hander tossed 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out two against a loaded American lineup that featured stars such as Aaron Judge , Gunnar Henderson , and Bobby Witt Jr. Italy built a stunning 8-0 lead behind Lorenzen's early dominance before Team USA attempted a late rally that ultimately fell short.
FOX Sports: MLB shared the 12th-year veteran's postgame interview on X, formerly Twitter, where he spoke with The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal about the upset victory and what it took to defeat Team USA.
During the interview, Lorenzen explained his approach on the mound of the most lethal lineups in the tournament.
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"Obviously, they're really good hitters. They're not going to stretch the zone a ton. So you got to trust your stuff. Be in the zone, mix and match. Have a good have a good plan, and yeah, we were just able to be efficient. Kind of get early out, some ground ball outs and just keep it rolling."
For Lorenzen, who signed with the Colorado Rockies ahead of the 2026 season, the outing stands as a defining international moment for Team Italy baseball. The veteran right-hander delivered one of the most memorable pitching performances of the tournament, helping an underdog roster shock one of the most talented teams in the field. Beyond the result itself, the victory reinforced why the World Baseball Classic remains one of the sport's most unpredictable stages, where even powerhouse nations can be challenged by determined squads capable of rising to the moment.
Related: What Aaron Judge said about potential World Baseball Classic elimination after shocking Italy loss
Related: 3 players most to blame for Team USA's WBC loss to Italy
