This World Baseball Classic, the moment never looked too great for Team Venezuela. They stared down an early deficit against defending champions Japan, then caught fire to overtake them and reach the semifinals. When the upstart Team Italy gave them a scare, they once again punched back, riding a seventh-inning rally to punch their ticket to their first ever WBC final. On Tuesday night, against a hungry Team USA, Venezuela’s offense struck quickly and Eduardo Rodriguez set the tone with a terrific
start on the mound. Even when Bryce Harper’s late home run tied the score, they responded immediately with a rally of their own to jump back on top. In the end, Eugenio Suárez’s go-ahead double in the top of the ninth was the crowning moment for Venezuela, who celebrated their first ever World Baseball Classic championship at loanDepot Park in Miami.
Both starting pitchers came out of the gate hot. Nolan McLean induced a double play from speedster Maikel Garcia and retired the side on five pitches in the top of the first, then Rodriguez wasted little time sending the US packing in the home half. The next time Garcia saw McLean though, there were two runners in scoring position in the third. The Royals third baseman hammered a ball to Byron Buxton in left center field, but it was plenty deep enough to score the game’s first run for Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez continued to hum. The 32-year old southpaw cruised through 4.1 innings, scattering two baserunners while striking out four. He combined with Mariners reliever to limit the US’ star-spangled lineup to one hit in the first five full frames. E-Rod has had his share of struggles the past few seasons, but he was in vintage form in what must have ranked as the biggest game of his life.
In the top of the fifth, Venezuela exploited McLean’s biggest weakness: the home run ball. Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu, whose go-ahead home run against Japan gave Venezuela the chance to make it to this game, punished a middle-middle fastball from McLean to the deepest part of loanDepot Park and extended the lead to 2-0.
Venezuela manager Omar Lopez was able to turn things over to his bullpen, a unit which carried the day in the quarterfinal against Japan and especially in the semifinal against Italy. Giants righty José Buttó pitched around a Harper two-out single, then Angel Zerpa and Andrés Machado combined for a scoreless seventh.
Meanwhile, the American bullpen matched Venezuela’s stride for stride. Brad Keller took over for McLean with two outs in the fifth and passed the baton to Will Vest after collecting four quick outs. Vest posted a scoreless seventh, then Griffin Jax a spotless eighth. Much like the semifinals, this game would come down to the late innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, Team USA got a runner aboard with two outs for the third straight inning—this time on a walk from Bobby Witt Jr. As any baseball fan knows, you can only allow two-out baserunners so many times before a team makes you pay. Indeed, Bryce Harper only needed one swing to make Machado pay dearly for the free pass. He clobbered Machado’s 1-0 center-cut changeup over the center field wall for a dramatic game-tying home run.
From there, it could have been so easy to crumble, but Machado rebounded to strike out Aaron Judge to end the inning. Having been four outs away from victory, Venezuela needed to muster a quick reply—and did they ever.
It started with what else but a leadoff walk. Garrett Whitlock lost Luis Arráez to a base-on-balls; Lopez sent in Marlins speedster Javier Sanoja to pinch-run. Sanoja immediately put the rally on the line by taking off for second, and beat Brice Turang’s tag by a shoestring. The call upheld on review, giving Venezuela a critical runner in scoring position.
Enter Eugenio Suárez. The veteran slugger worked Whitlock to a full count before slashing the payoff offering to the left-center gap. Pete Crow-Armstrong could only reach it on the first bounce—Sanoja motored home to put Venezuela back on top. Tyler Rogers entered to put out the fire, but Team USA was once again compelled to come from behind.
Venezuelan closer Daniel Palencia entered with no margin for error to close out the World Baseball Classic. He gave them no quarter. First, he struck out Kyle Schwarber. Then, he got pinch-hitter Gunnar Henderson to pop out harmlessly to Garcia at third. Finally, Palencia got Roman Anthony to swing through a fastball and give his country their first ever World Baseball Classic crown.
After having to rally from behind in the previous two rounds to reach their first ever title game, Venezuela was able to snag the initiative, bounce back from the late Harper homer, and again rely on their bullpen to finish the job. They got their revenge on America in the process—in 2023, Team USA rallied from behind to stun them on the back of a Trea Turner grand slam, but this time, they could not find the go-ahead hit.
As for why this theoretical best US lineup ever constructed never fully jelled, well, it’s impossible to say. But not for nothing, the hitting coach for this group is a guy who should be familiar to Yankee fans.
Now, the MLB season awaits. It’s always sad when the WBC wraps up, but the 2026 Classic was another terrific tournament, providing thrills the whole way through. At last, Aaron Judge will go from being Team USA captain back to New York Yankees captain, and a consequential season in pinstripes awaits. Of course, we at Pinstripe Alley will be with you for every out, run, and win.
Congratulations to Team Venezuela!
