A stunning US loss to Italy leaves World Baseball Classic fate hanging

HOUSTON (AP) — The surprising loss by the United States to Italy in the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday night means that the Americans need help to advance to the quarterfinals.

The 8-6 defeat left the team with a 3-1 record at the end of its pool schedule. Mexico and Italy wrap up Pool B play Wednesday night, when a win by the Italians would give the U.S. second place and a spot in the next round.

If Mexico wins, then all three teams move to 3-1 and 1-1 against each other and send it to a tiebreaker.

The tiebreaker is the number of runs allowed in games between the tied teams. So, the U.S. could advance even if Mexico wins, if Mexico scores at least five runs in a nine-inning game.

Aaron Judge, who struck out in the ninth inning to end it Tuesday night, is disappointed that the team failed to take care of business against Italy.

“It’s the toughest thing,” he said. “You always like having your destiny in your own hands and we had it right in front of us and Italy came out swinging.”

The Italians hit three home runs in the first four innings to build a five-run lead and were up 8-0 before the U.S. got on the board.

After the game, U.S. manager Mark DeRosa fielded questions about whether he thought his team already secured a spot in the quarterfinals with Monday night’s win over Mexico because of his comments on a television appearance the next morning.

In that interview he said: “Ton of respect for Italy — it’s weird — we want to win this game even though our ticket’s punched to the quarterfinals because Mexico plays Italy actually tomorrow. So, the way the schedule lines up this is an important game for us.”

In the interview room, he said he misspoke during that segment, and in a later interview outside the clubhouse, he reiterated that he did not think his team already had clinched a spot.

“One-hundred percent … I misspoke,” he said. “Bottom line.”

Judge said the players didn't think that they already had secured a spot in the quarterfinals and that he didn't know about DeRosa's television interview.

Judge added that the team probably will gather at the hotel to watch Wednesday's game.

“It's out of our control now,” he said. “We just need a little luck and we’ll see what happens.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

United States pitcher Brad Keller (40) walks to the dugout in the middle of the sixth inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Italy , Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

United States right fielder Aaron Judge (99) lines out to center field in the sixth inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Italy , Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

DENVER (AP) — A Frontier Airlines plane hit and killed a pedestrian on the runway of the Denver International Airport during takeoff, airport authorities said, sparking an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate.

The plane, on route from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport, “reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday," the airport's official X account wrote.

A spokesperson for the airport said the pedestrian, who jumped a perimeter fence, has died. They said the unidentified person was hit two minutes after entering the airport. The person is not believed to be an airport employee.

“We're stopping on the runway,” the pilot tells the control tower according to the site ATC.com. “We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.”

The pilot tells the air traffic controller they have “231 souls” on board and that an “individual was walking across the runway.”

The air traffic controller responds that they are “rolling the trucks now" before the pilot tells the tower they “have smoke in the aircraft. We are going to evacuate on the runway.”

Frontier Airlines said in a statement flight 4345 was the one involved in the collision and that “smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff.” It was not clear whether the smoke was linked to the crash with the pedestrian.

“The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members,” the airline said. “We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities.”

Passengers were then evacuated via slides and the emergency crew bused them to the terminal. The airport spokesperson said 12 passengers suffered minor injuries and five were taken to local hospitals.

Denver Airport said the National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and that runway 17L, where the incident took place, will remain closed while an investigation is conducted. It is expected to open later today.

The pedestrian death came a day after a Delta Air Lines employee was killed while on the job at the Orlando International Airport. In a statement, the airline said the employee was killed Thursday night without providing details of the incident nor the name of the employee.

“We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time,” the airline said. "We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred.”

FILE - A Frontier Airlines jetliner taxis down a runway for take off from Denver International airport on Nov. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)