Reyes was one of the few Dominicans who was able to figure out Italy starter Tiago Da Silva. The 27-year-old right-hander whose bio says he led San Marino to the Italian League pennant with a 9-1 record and 2.49 ERA in 2012, scattered five hits over 5 1/3 innings and finally got pulled when Cano trimmed Italy’s lead in half with a towering solo shot to right-center field in the sixth.

Italy’s bullpen got out of trouble in the sixth, but Reyes got the Dominicans rolling with a one-out single in the seventh. Two batters later, Italy shortstop Anthony Granato had Cano’s softly hit shallow fly ball to left glance off his glove, and the bases were loaded.

Italy manager Marco Mazzieri brought in left-hander Luca Panerati. But none of the four pitches he threw to Edwin Encarnacion was called a strike by home plate umpire Angel Hernandez. Panerati left the field in disgust. "At least two of those four pitches were very close to the zone," Mazzieri said.

Ramirez, who had fans chanting his name maybe louder than he ever heard while when he was in a Marlins uniform, tied the score at 4 moments later when he hit a sacrifice fly to center off Brian Sweeney. Cruz then followed that by sending a 1-1 pitch into right field, scoring Cano from third.

“It’s a different style the way we play here than we play in New York,” Cano said trying to explain the excitement and celebration on the field by the Dominicans after he scored. “Here you get to be ... something you never see in the big leagues.”

Cano, the most valuable player of the first round in Puerto Rico, is 12 for 19 in the tournament. He has had three hits in every game of the tournament.

“That’s not what I have in mind, to think of any record or anything like that,” said Cano when told his dozen hits are the most in Dominican WBC history. “My interest is to win.”