The Venezuelan national team prevailed 3–2 against the United States. The victory was sparked by an RBI double from Eugenio Suárez in the ninth inning.
HAVANA TIMES – Venezuela was crowned the best baseball team in the world after defeating the United States 3–2 in Miami, capturing its first World Baseball Classic title. The winning run came on a double from Eugenio Suarez in the ninth inning with the score tied at 2.
Suarez’s double, which brought pinch runner Javier Sanoja home, sealed a victory that began with runs from Salvador Perez in the third inning and Wilyer Abreu in the fourth, via a home run.
Although Bryce Harper tied the game at 2-2 with a home run in the eighth inning, Venezuela quickly regrouped in front of a stadium packed with Venezuelan fans and handed the USA its second consecutive loss in a final, following its also 3-2 defeat to Japan in 2023.
Harper’s homer was the only blemish on an almost perfect performance by Venezuela’s pitchers, led by starter Eduardo Rodríguez.
Venezuela’s bullpen shut down a US lineup featuring stars such as Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, and Bobby Witt Jr., among others, allowing just three hits and permitting only one runner to get past first base.
The US pitchers were not far off those numbers, giving up just six hits to Venezuela, though each one echoed like a victory inside the Miami Stadium , which at times felt like it had been transported to Caracas.
Despite it being their first World Baseball Classic final, the Venezuelan squad quickly showed the same strength displayed in earlier games, collecting a hit from Ronald Acuña Jr. on the very first pitch of the game.
The threat became reality in the third inning, when Salvador Perez put Venezuela ahead, driven in by a sacrifice fly from his Kansas City Royals teammate Maikel Perez, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Perez had reached third base thanks to a throwing error by Nolan McLean.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez kept the powerful US hitters in check, allowing them to reach base only once through the first third of the game.
Wilyer Abreu doubled the lead to 2-0 in the fourth with a solo home run.
The US offensive drought continued even after changes on the Venezuelan mound, as Eduard Bazardo replaced Rodriguez and was shortly followed by Jose Butto.
Fans in Unison: “Strikeout, strikeout”
Fueled by the score, Venezuelan fans grew louder and louder, and their chants of “strikeout, strikeout” when the count reached two strikes rose in volume as night fell.
The fifth, sixth, and seventh innings ended scoreless for both teams, with only one hit apiece, as pitchers continued rotating on both sides in search of fresh arms.
But the fresh arms were not enough to stop Bryce Harper, who tied the game with a two-run homer off Andres Machado in the eighth inning, turning the contest into sudden death.
That’s when Luis Arraez stepped in, drawing a walk, and pinch runner Javier Sanoja replaced him in search of the winning run. His speed allowed him to steal second base—confirmed after a review—and then capitalize on Suarez’s double.
Daniel Palencia pitched the ninth for Venezuela seeking the save. He struck out Kyle Schwarber, forced a pop fly from Gunnar Henderson, and struck out Roman Anthony to seal the victory and the championship for Venezuela.
Venezuela’s record in this World Baseball Classic was six wins and one loss—the only defeat coming against the Dominican Republic in the group stage. Before tonight’s triumph, they defeated last year’s champion Japan (8–5) in the quarterfinals and Italy (4–2) in the semifinals.
