Ivan Terrazas (pictured, sliding into home plate) batted 3-for-5 with a homer, two runs scored and three driven in to lead Mexico to a 6-3 win over Italy on Monday in Bologna. The win evened Mexico's record at 1-1 in the second round of the Baseball World Cup, and marked the second time in four days the Grande Verde has defeated a team on its own soil.
Terrazas opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning by trotting home from third on a bases-loaded walk to Cristian Presichi. He then drove in Abel Martinez with Mexico's second run with a single in the bottom of the second. Italy actually tied the game at 2-2 with single runs in the third and sixth innings, but Terrazas put Mexico ahead for good with a two-run homer off Italian reliever Luca Panerati in the bottom of the sixth. Italy came back for one run in the seventh to make it 4-3, but Mexico tucked this one to bed in the eighth when Oscar Robles drove Martinez in with a double, and later scored himself on a passed ball. Robles finished with a perfect night at the plate, collecting three hits and two walks in five plate appearances.
Mexican reliever Arturo Lopez picked up the win and Hector Navarro earned the save, but it was starter Andres Meza who held Italy at bay by allowing one earned run on six hits and one walk on 5.1 innings of work. Panerati suffered the loss for the Italians as a result of Terrazas' homer.
Mexico will next face Canada Tuesday in Torino at 8:00PM local time. The Canadians are 0-2 in Round 2 after an 8-0 loss to the United States on Sunday followed by a 5-3 loss Monday to Austrlaia in ten innings.
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