Venezuela defeats the US 3-2 for the first World Baseball Classic title

Venezuela shocked the United States in the finals of the World Baseball Classic, beating the Americans 3-2 for the country’s first WBC title.

Maikel Garcia got Venezuela on the board with a sacrifice fly that scored Salvador Perez in the top of the 3rd. Wilyer Abreu then added another run with a solo shot in the 5th.

The US bats, on the other hand, were quiet until the bottom of the 8th, when Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper hit a two-run home run.

But a leadoff walk in the 9th allowed Eugenio Suárez to knock in what would have been the winning run, a double to left-center field and pinch runner Javier Sonoja.

Daniel Palencia struck out two in the bottom half to complete a three-hit shutout and his third save for the WBC, striking out Roman Anthony to end the game. The Venezuelans ran onto the field to celebrate as the Americans looked on while leaning in their dugout.

Despite an announced roster of stars led by Aaron Judge, Harper and Paul Skenes, the US lost its second consecutive final of baseball’s premier international event and remained without a title since 2017. Judge was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in the championship game.

Before addressing the political issues, the players and coaches avoided discussing the inter-state conflict, which escalated when US forces kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January. The sellout crowd at LoanDepot Park was focused on Venezuela, with the American players booing during the introductions.

Venezuela became the second Latin American country to win the WBC, following the Dominican Republic in 2013. The US took the title in 2017 and lost in the 2023 final to three-time champions Japan.

While the US, Japan and the Dominican Republic received a lot of attention before the sixth edition of the 20-nation event, Venezuela’s success did not come as a surprise. Sixty-three players born in Venezuela appeared on Major League Baseball’s opening day roster last year, second most from outside the US behind the Dominican Republic’s 100.

Venezuela advanced in the third inning against McLean, starting because Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers decided the two-time Cy Young Award winner would only appear in the first round.

Salvador Perez cut the first single and Ronald Acuña Jr. he came out with one. The runners advanced when McLean hit a curveball, and Garcia followed with a sac fly to center.

Abreu doubled the lead when he drove a fastball 414 feet to center. His hat fell off when he took second and he jumped with excitement as he approached the plate, where he was met by a line of teammates.

Rodriguez allowed one hit in 4 1/3 innings before Venezuela turned to the bullpen.

The US players had arrived at LoanDepot Park in game-worn US Olympic hockey jerseys paired with outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Jack Hughes, who scored the gold medal-winning goal against Canada last month.

In a pitch-black arena filled with fans wearing wristbands with flashing lights, Judge and Arraez led the teams through a line of scrimmages and introductions while carrying their nation’s flags.