Venezuela claimed its first World Baseball Classic title with a 3-2 victory over the United States in the final on March 17, 2026, at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida. The tournament final was hosted at the Miami Marlins' stadium, which also hosted semifinals and the 2023 final.[1]
Eugenio Suárez, a Venezuelan third baseman who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball,[2] hit a game-winning RBI double to left-center field in the top of the ninth inning off Garrett Whitlock. The hit scored Javier Sanoja from second base after Sanoja stole second.[3]
Bryce Harper hit a solo home run off Andrés Machado in the bottom of the eighth with two outs to tie the score at 2-2. Earlier, Wilyer Abreu hit a solo home run to extend Venezuela's lead.
The victory followed a semifinal win over Italy on March 16, 2026, at the same venue, where Suárez hit a solo home run in the fourth inning.[3]
In a post-game interview, Suárez credited his faith for the success. "I mean, what can I say about this? It’s amazing. God is good, all the glory is for the Lord Jesus. He was with us the whole time," Suárez told FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.[4]
Suárez pointed to the sky from second base and later said he prayed in that moment. "We have to glorify, put his name in front of everything. Nobody believed in Venezuela, but now we won the championship today. This is a celebration for all of Venezuela," he added.
"The union – we are together the whole time. We’re not just teammates, we’re all family," Suárez said. "This team is awesome – we are family here. That’s why we play with passion, with love because we feel that on our jersey. We feel our country on the front of us."
Venezuela's pitching staff limited the U.S. to two hits until Harper's homer. The U.S. roster featured MLB stars including Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies.[2]
Prior to 2026, Venezuela's best WBC finish was the quarterfinals in 2023.[1][3]
Sources
- World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)
WBSC announces 2026 World Baseball Classic dates, venues and pool composition
August 8, 2024
https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/wbsc-announces-
