Venezuela has won the World Baseball Classic for the first time, rebounding from a blown eighth-inning lead to beat the United States 3-2 on Eugenio Suarez's tiebreaking double in the ninth.
Maikel Garcia's third-inning sacrifice fly and Wilyer Abreu's fifth-inning homer off rookie Nolan McLean built a 2-0 lead before a roaring pro-Latin America crowd in Miami.
Eduardo Rodriguez and lights-out relievers limited the Americans to two hits before Bryce Harper's two-out, two-run homer in the eighth tied it. Daniel Palencia retired the side in order in the ninth, finishing a three-hitter.
Team Venezuela stamps itself as a #WorldBaseballClassic champion 👑 pic.twitter.com/tY7ze9IRy0
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 18, 2026
An emotional Ronald Acuña Jr. celebrating Team Venezuela’s first #WorldBaseballClassic championship 🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/366Fu1tJ90
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 18, 2026
Let the confetti fly 🎉#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/QxqEmGfocW
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 18, 2026
A cinematic ending to the #WorldBaseballClassic for Team Venezuela 🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/3fB8aIWsjL
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 18, 2026