Venezuela stuns Team USA 3-2 to win nation's first World Baseball Classic
History has been made in Miami.
Venezuela upset Team USA 3-2 in the 2026 World Baseball Classic final, marking the nation’s first ever win in tournament history.
The scoring started in the top of the third, where Venezuela had two runners in scoring position with one out. Maikel Garcia, who would be named tournament MVP after the win, hit a sacrifice fly on a 2-2 count off Nolan McLean to drive in veteran catcher Salvador Perez.
The U.S. got out without conceding another run from that spot, but not for long. Venezuela added a second in the fifth, when Wilyer Abreu hit a solo homer off McLean’s fastball on a 0-1 count.
It turned into a defensive affair from there, with the U.S. primarily the one on the frustrated side. Venezuela’s bullpen has been stubborn for almost all of the knockout games thus far. But 2-0 leads in baseball can be a risky one.
In the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs and the U.S. desperately needing a lifeline, Bryce Harper came through with a two-run homer that brought in Bobby Witt Jr.
The twists and turns continued from there. Luis Arraez started the ninth with a leadoff walk, and Javier Sanoja came in as the pinch-runner. Sanoja then stole second base, which withstood a tight challenge replay.
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Right after, Eugenio Suarez, facing a 3-2 count, hit a double in a perfect soft spot off Garrett Whitlock to drive in Sanoja to reclaim the edge. It was Whitlock’s first allowed run of the tournament.
Kyle Schwarber, Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony were due up in the bottom of the ninth, with Daniel Palencia looking to close it out.
Palencia got Schwarber to strike out before Henderson popped out to third. It came down to Anthony, who had a solid tournament run in the build up to the final. But Anthony also struck out swinging to seal the win for Venezuela.
Here’s the magical moment for Venezuela:
Venezuela went 3-1 in pool play to set up an opening knockout match against reigning champions Japan. Shohei Ohtani and Co. couldn’t keep up in a stunning 8-5 loss.
Next up came Italy in the semifinals, which enjoyed a stellar run of its own with a 4-0 record in Pool B. That included an 8-6 win over the U.S., which at one point was 8-0 before a late rally spiced it up. But Venezuela produced its own rally to win 4-2, setting up the final vs. Team USA.
It’s a significant moment not only for the players and coaches, but also for Venezuela has an entire nation. The party will be on for a long, long time.
As for the U.S., it ends in a second straight stinger. In the 2023 final, the U.S. fell to Japan with a 3-2 scoreline that also came down to the last at-bat. Ohtani, a Los Angeles Angel at the time, was the pitcher, with fellow Angel Mike Trout looking for the big play.
But it just didn’t happen for the U.S. once again, and improvements will be needed for the next WBC.
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