Venezuela defeats U.S. 3-2 to claim first World Baseball Classic title
Authored by cn-ayxsports.net, 18 Mar 2026
Eugenio Suárez, a 33-year-old Venezuelan third baseman who signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Detroit Tigers in November 2024, hit a game-winning RBI double in the ninth inning to lift Venezuela over the United States 3-2 in the World Baseball Classic final on March 17, 2026, at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida.[1][2]
Suárez credited his faith after the victory, telling FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal: "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." He added, "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]."[5]
The win marked Venezuela's first WBC title. The country had previously advanced to the quarterfinals in 2023, where it lost 9-7 to the U.S., but had never reached the final.[3][4] The tournament, organized by the World Baseball Softball Confederation every four years, concluded its 2026 edition with semifinals and final hosted in Miami.[3]
Wilyer Abreu hit a solo home run for Venezuela, while Bryce Harper homered in the eighth inning off Andrés Machado to tie the score at 2-2. Javier Sanoja stole second ahead of Suárez's hit off Garrett Whitlock. Team USA managed just two hits overall in the game.[5]
The final came a day after Venezuela defeated Italy on March 16, when Suárez hit a solo home run. loanDepot park, home of the Miami Marlins since 2012, also hosted the 2023 WBC final between Japan and the U.S.[2][4]
"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."[5]
| Inning | Event |
|---|---|
| Top 8 | Bryce Harper home run ties game 2-2 |
| Top 9 | Javier Sanoja steals second; Suárez RBI double scores winning run |
Sources
- MLB.com. "Tigers, Eugenio Suarez agree to terms on 1-year contract." November 12, 2024. https://www.mlb.com/news/eugenio-suarez-agrees-to-terms-on-1-year-contract-with-tigers
- MLB.com. "Eugenio Suárez Player Page." Accessed October 2024. https://www.mlb.com/player/eugenio-suarez-608032
- World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). "World Baseball Classic 2026 Official Site." Accessed October 2024. https://wbc2026.com/
- Wikipedia. "World Baseball Classic." Accessed October 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Baseball_Classic
- Fox News Digital. "Scott Thompson sports coverage" (draft attribution for post-game interview). Accessed via provided draft. https://www.foxnews.com/sports