During this edition of the world baseball classic, Team Venezuela often faced difficult moments but repeatedly found ways to fight back. After falling behind early against the reigning champions from Japan, they surged late to claim a comeback victory and secure a spot in the semifinals. Their next challenge came from the surprising Team Italy, which nearly pulled off an upset. However, Venezuela rallied again in the seventh inning to earn a place in its first-ever WBC final.
On Tuesday night, they faced a determined Team USA. Venezuela’s offense made an immediate impact, while pitcher Eduardo Rodríguez delivered a strong opening performance on the mound. Even after Bryce Harper tied the game with a late home run, Venezuela responded quickly with another rally to reclaim the lead. Ultimately, Eugenio Suárez provided the decisive moment with a go-ahead double in the top of the ninth inning. That hit sealed Venezuela’s historic first World Baseball Classic championship at loanDepot Park in Miami.
Both starting pitchers began the game in impressive form. Nolan McLean quickly forced a double play from speedy Maikel Garcia and needed only five pitches to retire the side in the first inning. Rodríguez answered by efficiently shutting down the American lineup in the bottom half. When Garcia faced McLean again in the third inning with two runners in scoring position, the Royals third baseman—who would later earn WBC MVP honors with a .970 OPS and tournament-leading ten hits—drove a deep fly ball to left-center field. Although it was caught by Byron Buxton, it allowed Venezuela to score the first run of the game.
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Rodríguez continued to dominate on the mound. The 32-year-old left-hander worked through 4.1 innings, allowing only two baserunners while striking out four batters. Along with Mariners reliever Eduard Bazardo, he held the powerful U.S. lineup to just one hit over the first five innings. Despite some inconsistent seasons recently, Rodríguez delivered an outstanding performance in what was likely the most significant world baseball classic game of his career.
Venezuela extended its lead in the fifth inning by capitalizing on McLean’s tendency to give up home runs. Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu—who had already played a key role with a home run against Japan earlier in the tournament—launched a fastball to the deepest part of loanDepot Park, pushing the Venezuelan lead to 2–0.
Manager Omar López then turned to his bullpen, which had already proven crucial in previous rounds, particularly in victories over Japan and Italy. Giants pitcher José Buttó worked around a two-out single from Bryce Harper, while Ángel Zerpa and Andrés Machado combined to deliver a scoreless seventh inning.
Team USA’s bullpen was equally effective. Brad Keller replaced McLean with two outs in the fifth inning and handed the ball to Will Vest after recording four quick outs. Vest pitched a clean seventh inning, and Griffin Jax followed with a perfect eighth. Similar to the semifinals, the match seemed likely to be settled during the final innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, the United States placed a runner on base with two outs for the third consecutive inning when Bobby Witt Jr. drew a walk. Eventually, that opportunity paid off. Bryce Harper crushed a 1–0 changeup from Machado over the center-field wall, tying the game with a dramatic home run.
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Despite the setback, Machado recovered by striking out Aaron Judge to end the inning. It was a difficult game for the U.S. captain, who finished 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Venezuela, now just four outs away from victory, needed a quick response—and they delivered.
The rally began with a leadoff walk. Garrett Whitlock issued a free pass to Luis Arraez, prompting López to send in speedster Javier Sanoja as a pinch-runner. Sanoja immediately stole second base, narrowly beating the tag from Brice Turang. After a replay review confirmed the call, Venezuela had a crucial runner in scoring position.
That set the stage for Eugenio Suárez. The veteran slugger battled Whitlock to a full count before driving a pitch into the left-center gap. Pete Crow-Armstrong fielded it on the bounce, but Sanoja easily scored to restore Venezuela’s lead. Tyler Rogers entered in relief to stop further damage, leaving Team USA needing another comeback world baseball classic.
Closer Daniel Palencia took the mound in the ninth inning with the championship on the line. He delivered a flawless performance, striking out Kyle Schwarber, forcing a pop-up from pinch-hitter Gunnar Henderson, and finally getting Roman Anthony to swing through a fastball. With that decisive final hit, Venezuela captured its first World Baseball Classic championship.
After needing late comebacks in earlier rounds to reach the championship game, Venezuela managed to take control early in the final. Even after Harper’s dramatic home run, they responded immediately and relied once again on their bullpen to secure the win. In doing so, they also avenged their 2023 defeat to Team USA, when the Americans rallied behind a Trea Turner grand slam.
As for why what was considered one of the strongest U.S. lineups ever assembled failed to fully come together, the answer remains uncertain. Interestingly, the team’s hitting coach is someone quite familiar to Yankees fans.
With the tournament complete, attention now shifts to the upcoming MLB season. While the end of the world baseball classic is always bittersweet, the 2026 event delivered plenty of excitement and memorable moments. Aaron Judge will return to his role as captain of the New York Yankees, and a significant season awaits in pinstripes. Throughout it all, Pinstripe Alley will be there to follow every run, hit, and victory.