Venezuela won 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 Gardens, Florida.[1][2] Eugenio Suárez delivered the game-winning RBI double in the top of the ninth inning, scoring Javier Sanoja from second base after Sanoja stole second.[1][3]
Suárez, a 33-year-old third baseman from Venezuela currently with Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers, pointed skyward after reaching second base.[1][4] In a post-game interview with FOX Sports reporter Ken Rosenthal, Suárez credited his faith for the moment, saying, "I just prayed at the time."[1]
"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 said. "We have to glorify, put his name in front of everything."[1][3]
The game was tied 2-2 entering the ninth after United States designated hitter Bryce Harper hit a two-run home run off Venezuela reliever Andrés Machado in the bottom of the eighth.[1] Wilyer Abreu had earlier hit a solo home run for Venezuela.[1]
Venezuela advanced to the final with a win over Italy on March 16, 2026, at the same venue, where Suárez hit a solo home run.[1] The United States managed only two hits in the final, both by Harper.[1]
The 2026 World Baseball Classic final marked Venezuela's first appearance in the championship game; the nation had previously reached the semifinals in 2009.[2][5] loanDepot park, home of MLB's Miami Marlins, also hosted the 2023 WBC final.[2][6]
Suárez described his teammates as family: "The union – we are together the whole time. We’re not just teammates, we’re all family. ... Now, we are the champions."[1]
Sources
- Fox News Digital, "VENEZUELA SHOCKS TEAM USA TO WIN WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC FOR FIRST TIME" by Scott Thompson, March 18, 2026 (based on draft report), https://www.foxnews.com/sports
- FOX Sports, World Baseball Classic coverage including post-game interviews, March 2026, https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/world-baseball-classic
- WBSC, 2026 World Baseball Classic official site, accessed October 2024, https://www.wbsc.org/en/event/world-baseball-classic
- MLB.com, Eugenio Suárez player profile, accessed October 2024, https://www.mlb.com/player/eugenio-suarez-570558
- Wikipedia, World Baseball Classic - Venezuela national team history (encyclopedic background), accessed October 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela_national_baseball_team#World_Baseball_Classic
- MLB.com Miami Marlins, loanDepot park venue information, accessed October 2024, https://www.mlb.com/marlins/ballpark
