Venezuela has secured its inaugural World Baseball Classic title, triumphing over the United States with a dramatic 3-2 victory in a final decided by Eugenio Suárez’s tie-breaking double in the ninth inning.
The historic win ignited fervent celebrations, both on the field and across the South American nation, as players draped in shiny medals belted out their national anthem alongside tens of thousands of fans who remained long after the final out.
Suárez’s decisive hit came after Bryce Harper’s two-run homer in the eighth had sensationally levelled the score for the US.
The game-winning sequence saw Luis Arraez walk, pinch-runner Javier Sanoja steal second, and then score when Suárez doubled to the left-centre gap on a full-count change-up.
Daniel Palencia then closed out the game with a perfect bottom of the ninth, striking out two to finish a three-hitter for his third save of the WBC, sealing Venezuela’s first championship. The triumph resonated deeply, with captain Salvador Perez articulating the profound national significance.
“The World Series, as you all know, is one of the most important championships in the major leagues, but when you fight for your country, that goes beyond. That feeling, the country where you were born and raised, the sacrifices made by our parents, those people that helped us, that’s why this means a lot to me and to Venezuela,” he stated.
The victory prompted acting President Delcy Rodríguez to declare Wednesday a National Day of Joy, 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 amidst a cacophony of blaring car horns.
High school student Yorleiny Mestra captured the collective pride, exclaiming: “I’m overjoyed. It’s too much for me! The United States is a superpower, and the fact that we beat them makes me very proud of Venezuela.”
Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. was visibly emotional, adding: “My country needs that championship. I just want to make my people proud. That’s what I did today.”
Venezuela initially established a 2-0 lead at loanDepot Park, courtesy of Maikel Garcia’s third-inning sacrifice fly and Wilyer Abreu’s fifth-inning home run off rookie Nolan McLean.
The pro-Latin America sell-out crowd of 36,190 roared its approval, creating an atmosphere that felt like home for the Venezuelan squad.
Left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodríguez and a string of dominant relievers, including Eduard Bazardo, José Buttó, Angel Zerpa, and Andrés Machado, effectively limited the Americans to just two hits through seven innings.
Garcia noted the overwhelming support: “We were feeling at home. There were more Venezuelan fans than American fans.”
The US team, despite boasting a roster of celebrated stars, struggled to find its offensive rhythm throughout the tournament.
Manager Mark DeRosa faced questions regarding his pitching strategy, particularly the decision to start Garrett Whitlock in the ninth over Mason Miller, citing a prior agreement with the Padres regarding Miller’s usage only in save situations.
DeRosa conceded the team’s difficulties: “It just seemed like we couldn’t get the offense going the entire tournament.” The US had scored just nine runs in their three knockout-round games, batting a meagre .188.
Maikel Garcia was deservedly named tournament MVP, having hit .385 with a WBC-high 10 hits and seven RBIs.
He expressed a defiant confidence in his team’s achievement: “They underestimated Venezuela because we had never won anything, but we are powerful. We won today, and I expect that in the new ranking, we are No. 1 and Japan is No. 2.”
For the US, star players such as Aaron Judge, who went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in the final and hit .222 with five RBIs in the tournament, and Alex Bregman, who batted .143 with four RBIs, largely underperformed offensively. Harper, despite his late heroics, finished the tournament batting .214 with three RBIs.
While the US, Japan, and the Dominican Republic garnered much of the pre-tournament attention, Venezuela’s success was perhaps less surprising given its strong baseball pedigree.
Sixty-three players born in Venezuela appeared on Major League Baseball opening day rosters last year, second only to the Dominican Republic outside the US.
The Venezuelan team, repeatedly described by its players as a “family,” exemplified this bond, with brothers Willson and William Contreras going on the podium together to receive their medals and sing the national anthem, “Gloria al Bravo Pueblo (Glory to the Brave People).” Suárez encapsulated this spirit: “We play with passion, with love, because we feel the jersey.”
Despite the intense rivalry, Harper demonstrated commendable sportsmanship by shaking hands with Venezuelan players after the final out. “I understand what it takes to win games,” he said.
“They had a great tournament, and I just wanted to let them know: congratulations. They’re the best team in the world.”
Venezuela’s triumph marks only the second time a Latin American nation has claimed the WBC title, following the Dominican Republic’s victory in 2013, leaving the US without a title since 2017.
As Venezuelans celebrated their hard-fought triumph, running onto the infield, the dismayed American players stared from their dugout rail.
Judge openly expressed their disappointment: “We came here, all of us put on this uniform, signed up to go out there and get a gold medal.”
The Venezuelan squad, however, delivered a truly historic moment for their nation, proving their manager Omar López’s words: “Baseball wanted us to fail, to fall down. You put aside your individuality and you are going to achieve those results.”
