MIAMI: Alex Rios scored the go-ahead run without a play as Puerto Rico rallied to oust Italy from the World Baseball Classic with a 4-3 victory Wednesday night.
The Puerto Ricans went hitless in their first 12 at-bats with runners in scoring position but still overcame a 3-0 deficit to score once in the sixth inning and three times in the eighth. Rios crossed the plate standing up for the final run on a grounder to shortstop, which Jack Santora backhanded before throwing wide to first.
That was one of four misplays by Italian shortstops, including three in the sixth by Anthony Granato, who allowed an unearned run to score and was then replaced by Santora.
The Italians blew a 4-0 lead in a loss Tuesday to the Dominican Republic.
The Puerto Ricans advance to tonight’s game against the winner of Thursday night’s game between the United States and Dominican Republic. R.A. Dickey will start for the US team, and Minnesota Twins right-hander Samuel Deduno starts for the Dominicans.
Hiram Burgos (1-0) pitched 3 2-3 scoreless innings for Puerto Rico. Fernando Cabrera struck out Alex Liddi with a runner at first for his second save.
Italy’s Anthony Rizzo broke a scoreless tie with a three-run double in the fifth, and Puerto Rico trailed 3-1 going into the bottom of the eighth.
Carlos Beltran led off with a walk, took third on a single by Yadier Molina and scored on Mike Aviles’ groundout.
Rios singled off Brian Sweeney (0-1) to put runners at the corners, and he took second when Luis Figueroa hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-all. Rios came home on an infield single by Andy Gonzalez.
With the retractable roof open at Marlins Park and the temperature in the 60s, fans in the crowd of 25,787 blew horns and whistles and banged drums to create a festive cacophony.
Puerto Rico’s Giancarlo Alvarado took a shutout into the fifth. Granato singled with one out, and Nick Punto reached on catcher’s interference by Molina. After Chris Denorfia singled to load the bases, Xavier Cedeno replaced Alvarado and gave up Rizzo’s double.
Puerto Rico rallies past Italy in WBC
Puerto Rico rallies past Italy in WBC
Inaugural Kidzink Pearl Cup wraps up at Dubai Offshore Club
- Sailors aged 8-18 competed in the Optimist Coached, Optimist, ILCA 4, 29er and RS Feva classes
DUBAI: The inaugural Kidzink Pearl Cup wrapped up in Dubai after welcoming more than 100 youth sailors from 17 countries for one of the Middle East’s first international open youth sailing regattas.
Held from Dec. 15-21 at Dubai Offshore Sailing Club with the support of Dubai Sports Council, the Kidzink Pearl Cup brought together sailors aged 8-18 to compete in the Optimist Coached, Optimist, ILCA 4, 29er and RS Feva classes.
Backed by global educational design company Kidzink as title sponsor and strategic partner, the event combined four days of competitive racing with ideal windy conditions, with three days of Olympic-level coaching delivered by an international coaching team, giving young sailors the chance to train and race in competitive and challenging conditions alongside peers from different countries and sailing cultures.
The young sailors also took part in interactive onshore sessions developed with Kidzink’s research team, with the event putting the focus on leadership, inclusivity and clean-water awareness.
Charlotte Borghesi, founder and general manager of Kidzink, said: “The energy throughout the week was incredible. You could see learning happening in real time, friendships forming on the dock and young sailors growing in confidence every day.
The Kidzink Pearl Cup is about more than racing, it’s about creating an environment where young people feel inspired, supported and excited to learn.”
A two-time world champion sailor herself, Borghesi brings first-hand experience to the event, having made history in 2023 as the first female helmswoman to win the SB20 World Championship, followed by her team’s victory at the SB20 Women’s World Sailing Championship in Singapore in 2025.
Alongside the racing program, sailors took part in Kidzink’s interactive learning sessions. The UAE sessions built on work first piloted at the Kidzink-supported 29er Class European and World Championships earlier this year.
Local talent featured strongly throughout the week, with members of the DOSC racing squad lining up alongside international competitors. Among them were 14-year-old Chloe Montanet and 12-year-old Edward West.
In the Optimist Coached fleet, first place was claimed by Lev Ryashin (RUS), followed by Matteo Bertucci (ITA) in second and Gonzalo Montero (ESP) in third.
In the Optimist class Jean-Luc Herve (UAE) topped the podium, followed by Xuan Ya Tong (KSA) in second, and Miquel Rossello-Collinge (ESP) rounding out the podium.
The ILCA 4 title went to Fynley Britton (GBR), with Indraneel Roy (IND), and Katyayani Kaushik (IND) completing the podium.
In the 29er fleet, Dominic West and Fynley Britton took top honours, followed by Lily Britton and Matteo Gardenghi in second place with Noah Fisk and Alex Simmonds third.
The RS Feva Coached podium consisted of Ameya Rahul Nair and Arya Khanna in first, Miles Wilson-Brown and Noah Kahlon second, and Finlay Henderson and Rayan Abdallah third.
“Our work in sailing reflects our broader mission to design and create educational environments and experiences where young people thrive,” Borghesi added. “The Kidzink Pearl Cup is just the beginning of much more to come.”
