Venezuela defeated the United States to win the historic World Baseball Classic title.
Venezuela clinched its first World Baseball Classic title with a dramatic 3-2 victory over the United States in the decisive final on Eugenio Suarez’s tie-breaking double in the ninth inning.
The historic win sparked wild celebrations both on the field and in the South American nation, as players clad in glittering medals sang their national anthem alongside thousands of fans long after the final out.
Suarez’s decisive hit came after Bryce Harper’s two-run homer in the eighth sensationally tied the score for the United States.
Luis Arraez walked in the game-winning run; pinch-runner Javier Sanoja advanced to second and then saw the score when Suarez doubled to left-centre on a full-count changeup.
Daniel Palencia then ended the game in the bottom of the ninth, striking out two to finish off a three-hitter for his third save of the WBC, sealing Venezuela’s first championship. Echoing the victory, Captain Salvador Perez described the deep national significance.
“The World Series is the biggest championship in the big leagues, but when you fight for your country, it goes beyond that.” This feeling, the country where you were born and raised, the sacrifices of our parents, the people who helped us – that’s why it’s so important for me and for Venezuela,” he said.
The victory prompted Acting President Delsey Rodriguez to declare Wednesday a national day of happiness, making it a non-working holiday for all but essential workers.
In the capital, Caracas, thousands gathered in the Plaza de la Juventud, singing the national anthem amid the blare of car horns.
High school student Urleni Mestra captured the collective pride, saying, “I’m so happy; it’s so much for me! The United States is a superpower, and I’m so proud of Venezuela for the fact that we beat them.”
Star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr was visibly emotional, adding, “My country needs this championship. I just want to make my people proud. That’s what I did today.”
Venezuela built an early 2-0 lead at Lone Depot Park, courtesy of Mikel Garcia’s third-inning sacrifice fly and Valeri Abreu’s fifth-inning home run off rookie Nolan McLean.
A sellout crowd of 36,190 Latin American supporters roared their approval, creating an atmosphere that felt like home for the Venezuelan squad.
Left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez and a string of dominant relievers, including Eduardo Bazardo, Jose Butto, Angel Zarpa, and Andres Machado, effectively limited the Americans to just two hits over seven innings.
Garcia noted the overwhelming support: “We felt at home. There were more Venezuelan fans than American fans.”
The American team, despite boasting a star-studded roster, struggled to find its offensive rhythm throughout the tournament.
Manager Mark DeRosa faced questions regarding his pitching strategy, particularly Mason Miller’s decision to start Garrett Whitlock in the ninth inning, citing a prior agreement with the Padres to use Miller only in safe situations.
DeRosa acknowledged the team’s struggles: “It seemed like we couldn’t get the offence going the whole tournament.” The U.S. scored just nine runs in its three knockout-round games, batting a paltry .188.
Michael Garcia was named tournament MVP, hitting .385 with a WBC-high 10 hits and seven RBIs.
He expressed strong confidence in his team’s success: “They underestimated Venezuela because we have never won anything, but we are strong. We won today, and I expect to be ranked No. 1 in the new rankings. 1 and Japan is No. 2.”
For the U.S., star players like Aaron Judge, who went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the finals and hit .222 with five RBIs in the tournament, and Alex Bregman, who batted .143 with four RBIs, were largely offensive. Despite his late heroics, Harper finished the tournament batting .214 with three RBIs.
While the United States, Japan, and the Dominican Republic received much of the pre-tournament attention, Venezuela’s success was perhaps less surprising due to its strong baseball pedigree.
63 players born in Venezuela appeared on Major League Baseball’s Opening Day rosters last year, second only to the Dominican Republic outside of the United States.
The Venezuelan team, repeatedly described by its players as a “family”, exemplified that bond, with brothers Wilson and William Contreras walking to the podium together to receive their medals and singing the national anthem, “Gloria al Bravo Pueblo (Glory to the Brave)”. Suarez summed up the spirit: “We play with passion, with love, because we feel the jersey.”
Despite the fierce rivalry, Harper showed commendable sportsmanship by shaking hands with the Venezuelan players after the final out. “I understand what it takes to win games,” he said.
“They had a fantastic tournament, and I just wanted to tell them: congratulations. They are the best team in the world.”
Venezuela’s victory marks only the second time a Latin American nation has claimed the WBC title since the Dominican Republic’s victory in 2013, leaving the United States without a title since 2017.
As the Venezuelans celebrated their hard-fought victory, running onto the field, dejected American players stared from their dugout rails.
The judge openly expressed his frustration: “We came here, we all put on this uniform, and we signed up to go out there and get a gold medal.”
However, the Venezuelan squad produced a truly historic moment for their nation, proving the words of their manager, Omar Lopez: “Baseball wanted us to fail, to fall. You put your individuality aside and you’re going to get these results.”
