Venezuela shocks Team USA to win World Baseball Classic for first time

Venezuela’s ascendant pitching and timely hitting shocked nan United States, 3-2, to seizure nan World Baseball Classic (WBC) title for nan first clip successful squad history. 

Only Team USA, Japan and nan Dominican Republic person been capable to telephone themselves WBC champions. Venezuela, utilizing its momentum from a semifinal triumph complete Italy connected Monday night, had eyes group connected history. 

But nary 1 could’ve expected what transpired astatine loanDepot Park successful Miami, arsenic nan U.S. was held to conscionable 2 hits and 4 full baserunners until a heroic infinitesimal by Bryce Harper made this a thrilling crippled successful nan end. 

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Eugenio Suárez of Team Venezuela reacts aft hitting an RBI double against Team United States during nan ninth inning astatine loanDepot parkland connected March 17, 2026 successful Miami, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Eduardo Rodriguez, nan soon-to-be 33-year-old Venezuelan left-hander, had thrown to a 5.02 ERA complete nan past 2 seasons pinch nan Arizona Diamondbacks, but you wouldn’t deliberation truthful nan measurement he was surviving connected nan corners and keeping Team USA disconnected equilibrium passim his 4.1-inning start.  

Rodriguez fto up conscionable a azygous to Brice Turang, while notching 4 strikeouts including 2 connected Team USA skipper Aaron Judge. He astir apt wanted to spell longer considering really overmuch of a hit he was in, but head Omar Lopez pulled Rodriguez aft 57 pitches. He received a opinionated ovation from nan Venezuela religious arsenic he made his measurement to nan dugout, wherever nan bullpen had to return over. 

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Venezuela’s relievers followed Rodriguez’s lead, continuing to confuse Team USA hitters, wherever only Bryce Harper was capable to muster a azygous disconnected Jose Butto successful nan bottommost of nan sixth inning. But pinch Judge astatine nan crockery astatine a chance to move momentum successful favour of nan U.S., nan skipper grounded retired to 3rd guidelines to extremity nan inning. 

At nan aforesaid time, Venezuela wasn’t lighting up nan scoreboard, but they came up clutch successful cardinal moments to make it 2-0 by nan apical of nan 5th inning. Team USA starter Nolan McLean recovered himself pinch runners connected first and 2nd erstwhile he yanked a curveball past catcher Will Smith, allowing those Venezuelans to beforehand into scoring position. 

Wilyer Abreu of Team Venezuela rounds nan bases aft hitting a solo location tally against Team United States during nan 5th inning astatine loanDepot parkland connected March 17, 2026 successful Miami, Florida. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Maikel Garcia lifted a alert shot to halfway section to get nan first tally crossed location sheet successful nan apical of nan 3rd inning, striking first arsenic Team USA was trying to fig retired Rodriguez. 

Then, Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu didn’t miss a stitch of McLean’s middle-away fastball successful nan apical of nan fifth, ripping it complete nan halfway section wall. 

If Venezuela had momentum before, location was nary denying it arsenic he sprinted astir nan bases for illustration a madman, getting to location sheet arsenic accelerated arsenic imaginable to observe nan infinitesimal pinch his teammates arsenic nan crowd went wild. 

But nan funny point astir momentum is it tin move astatine immoderate moment, and it came successful nan bottommost of nan eighth for Team USA. 

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Bryce Harper stepped to nan crockery pinch 2 outs successful nan bottommost of nan eighth inning pursuing a Bobby Witt Jr. walk. At that point, Team USA had conscionable 2 hits and 4 full baserunners, pinch nary 1 making it past first base. 

Harper was 1 of those U.S. hits, and Andres Machado had conscionable thrown his 5th consecutive shot to springiness him a hitter’s count. The adjacent transportation was a fastball correct down nan mediate and Harper put his champion plaything connected it.

Bryce Harper of Team United States celebrates pinch teammates aft hitting a two-run location tally against Team Venezuela during nan eighth inning astatine loanDepot parkland connected March 17, 2026 successful Miami, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

As Harper watched nan shot alert to heavy halfway field, nan crowd erupted, knowing nan crippled was tied disconnected nan ace of nan bat. Harper screamed arsenic nan Team USA dugout came retired onto nan section to observe nan location tally that rejuvenated nan full U.S. side. Harper gave a salute arsenic he touched 3rd base, and he pointed to nan American emblem connected his near sleeve earlier rubbing home. 

The U.S. needed that infinitesimal desperately considering really nan crippled was going – aft all, they were down to conscionable 4 much outs. 

But Venezuela didn't skip a hit successful nan apical of nan ninth inning, arsenic Garrett Whitlock, who had been awesome successful a high-leverage domiciled earlier successful nan tournament, didn't look for illustration his accustomed self. He issued a locomotion to commencement nan inning, and aft Venezuela's pinch runner, Javier Sanoja, stole 2nd base, Eugenio Suarez smashed a changeup to left-center section for a go-ahead double to retake nan lead. 

Daniel Palencia sewage nan telephone successful nan bottommost of nan ninth for Venezuela aft closing retired Italy, and nan Chicago Cubs agreed this would beryllium nan only infinitesimal he could propulsion again. 

Venezuela Wilyer Abreu (16) celebrates pinch his teammates aft hitting a location tally during nan 5th inning successful nan title crippled of nan World Baseball Classic against nan United States, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, successful Miami.  (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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He made nan champion of nan opportunity, striking retired Kyle Schwarber, getting Gunnar Henderson to popular up to Garcia, and striking retired Roman Anthony to seal an affectional triumph for Venezuela. 

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