var dataHash = {
blurb: 'Unable to solve Jason Grilli or any of the other Italian pitchers on Tuesday night, Australia found its easiest task in Pool D rather rough. It appears their remaining schedule will include the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and probable elimination.',
source: 'MLB.com',
date: '2006-03-07T22:50:00-0500',
byline: 'Mark Bowman',
top_story_links: null,
body: '&#149 <b><a href="http://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2006_03_07_ausint_itaint_1">Box score</a></b><p>  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- So much for that thought that Italy would be the only team Australia would beat in the World Baseball Classic.  <p /> Unable to solve Jason Grilli or any of the other Italian pitchers they faced at Disney\'s Wide World of Sports complex on Tuesday night, Australia found its easiest task in Pool D to be rather rough.  <p /> With John Stephens unable to match Grilli\'s mastery or even provide what could be termed a respectable start, Australia fell behind early and never recovered on its way to a mercy-rule loss. With Italy leading 10-0 after seven innings and Classic rules in place, the game was called.  <p /> "It\'s extremely disappointing," Australian team captain Dave Nilsson said. "We never really had a chance to compete tonight. They jumped out of the gates early and never really looked back. That\'s probably the most disappointing thing for the whole team is that we were never in it."  <p /> Australia\'s next game in the round-robin format will come Thursday night against Venezuela. The top two teams from each of the four pools will advance to the second round.  <p /> Putting an end to the frustrating evening was Tom Gregorio, who delivered a two-out seventh-inning RBI double. During the Classic, games will be called if a team is leading by 10 runs after both teams have had at least seven at-bats.  <p /> Utilizing a sharp breaking ball, Grilli, who has made 18 appearances in four big league seasons, was simply sensational. The 29-year-old right-hander allowed one hit -- Trent Durrington\'s one-out, fourth inning double -- and recorded seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. He threw 37 of his 57 pitches for strikes.  <p /> "He was aggressive with his fastball and was locating his breaking ball," Durrington said. "He got ahead of everybody. He had the momentum and had us where he wanted to."  <p /> Italian manager Matt Galante was hopeful that Grilli, who grew up in the Orlando area, would be able to give him at least four innings. His performance combined with the mercy-rule victory allowed the Italians to use just two pitchers, which gives them a bonus as they prepare for games against the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. <p.  <p /> "He set the tone for the game," Galante said. "We couldn\'t ask for anything better than that."  <p /> While Grilli allowed just one of the 15 batters he faced to get on base, Stephens, who made 11 starts for Baltimore in 2002, simply couldn\'t find a groove. The 26-year-old right-hander allowed three earned runs and issued three walks in 1 2/3 innings. He threw just 21 of his 47 pitches for strikes.  <p /> "It\'s early in the season for (Stephens)," said Phil Brassington, a right-hander who will start Thursday night\'s game against Venezuela. "It takes a little while to get into a groove and into a rhythm. He didn\'t seem to get settled tonight and he didn\'t get ahead of hitters. That\'s how it goes."  <p /> All of the damage against Stephens came in Italy\'s three-run second inning. Helped with two walks, the Italians gained the early advantage with the help of Frank Menechino\'s two-out, two-run double.  <p /> Mike Piazza, Italy\'s most recognizable player, continued his team\'s offensive charge by beginning the third inning with a double off Paul Mildren. Two batters later, he trotted home on a Valentino Pascuccci triple that appeared to be going over the centerfield wall before Trent Oeltjen got a glove on it and brought it back into the field of play.  <p /> Unfortunately for the Australians, Oeltjen wasn\'t able to provide the same acrobatics on the balls that Mark Saccomanno and Vincent Sinisi drilled for two-run homers in the fifth and sixth innings.  <p /> Saccomanno, Catalanotto and Dustin Delucchi paced Italy\'s 11-hit attack with two hits apiece. The first four Australians to take the mound, Stephens, Mildren, Adam Bright and Rich Thomson, all allowed at least two earned runs.  <p /> "They swung the bats well and had the momentum the whole game and they pitched well," Nilsson said. "I think we could have made better adjustments, but it\'s just the way the game went."  ',
tagline: '<b>Mark Bowman</b> is a reporter for MLB.com.',
summary: null,
article_photo: {
    caption: 'Australia starter John Stephens leaves the game after giving up three runs in 1 2/3 innings.',
    credit: 'Phelan M. Ebenhack',
    path: '/images/2006/03/07/QQtsYI2r.jpg'
    },
sub_headline: 'Loss to Italy hurts chances of moving on in Classic',
alt_headline: 'Aussies in trouble after rout',
related_links: null,
headline: 'Aussies in trouble after rout'
}