Venezuela outduels USA to capture 1st WBC title

What’s Happening

So basically Venezuela clutched the World Baseball Classic for the first time, rebounding from Bryce Harper’s tying home run in the eighth inning to beat the United States 3-2 Tuesday night on Eugenio Suárez’s go-ahead double in the ninth.

Venezuela defeats Team USA to win World Baseball Classic play Venezuela stuns Team USA to win World Baseball Classic (0:38) Daniel Palencia strikes out Roman Anthony as Venezuela defeats Team USA 3-2 to win the World Baseball Classic. (0:38) Jorge Castillo Mar 17, 2026, 11:10 PM ET Close ESPN baseball reporter. (shocking, we know)

Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.

The Details

Follow on X Multiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions MIAMI — With one swing the nervous energy coursing through LoanDepot Park on Tuesday night flipped to pandemonium. Bryce Harper had upended the World Baseball Classic final’s momentum for Team USA with one swat in the eighth inning, tying Venezuela when the Americans were flat all night long.

The pro-Venezuela crowd went quiet. After Luis Arráez drew a walk to lead off the ninth inning, and after pinch runner Javier Sanoja barely stole second base, Eugenio Suárez swatted the most important hit of his career, a go-ahead double that proved the difference in Venezuela’s 3-2 victory .

Why This Matters

Daniel Palencia then sealed Venezuela’s first WBC championship American side in order, closing the door with a 99. 7 mph fastball to strike out Roman Anthony and ignite an emotional celebration as a stunned Team USA, three years after losing 3-2 to Japan in the WBC final, watched. Laments another WBC loss as star offense lags Alden Gonzalez WBC champs!

This could change the dynamics of the sport going forward.

The Bottom Line

Takeaways as Venezuela stuns Team USA ESPN ‘We needed this’: Amid turmoil back home, Team Venezuela savors WBC moment Alden Gonzalez 2 Related The teams entered Tuesday with identical 5-1 tournament records. Venezuela dropped its final Pool D game against the mighty Dominican Republic before consecutive comeback wins over Japan , the defending champion, and Italy , the tournament’s Cinderella entrant.

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