Venezuela has won the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time, rebounding from a blown eighth-inning lead to beat the United States 3-2 on Tuesday night on Eugenio Suárez’s tie-breaking double in the ninth.

Maikel Garcia’s third-inning sacrifice fly and Wilyer Abreu’s fifth-inning homer off Nolan McLean built a 2-0 lead before a roaring pro-Latin America crowd at loanDepot Park in Miami.

Meanwhile, left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez and lights-out relievers limited the Americans to two hits through the seventh inning.

In the eighth, Bobby Witt Jr. walked with two outs and Bryce Harper drove the second straight change-up from Andrés Machado over the centrefield fence for a two-run homer that tied it.

Luis Arraez walked against Garrett Whitlock starting the ninth, before pinch-runner Javier Sanoja stole second just ahead of catcher Will Smith's throw and came home when Suárez doubled to the left-centre gap.

Suárez spread his arms wide and pointed to the sky at second base while teammates streamed from the dugout to greet Sanoja at the plate.

Daniel Palencia struck out two in a perfect bottom half to finish a three-hitter and get his third save of the WBC, striking out Roman Anthony to end the game.

Venezuelans ran onto the infield to celebrate as the Americans stared while leaning on their dugout railing.

“Nobody believed in Venezuela but now we win the championship,” Suárez said. “This is a celebration for all the Venezuelan country.”

Despite a heralded roster of stars led by Aaron Judge, Harper and Paul Skenes, the US lost its second straight final of baseball's premier international event and remained without a title since 2017.

Ahead of a matchup with political overtones, players and coaches avoided discussing the government turmoil between the nations, heightened when the US military captured Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in January.

The sellout crowd of 36,190 was heavily pro-Venezuela, with some booing American players during the introductions.

Venezuela became the second Latin American nation to win the WBC, after the Dominican Republic in 2013.

The US lost the 2023 final to three-time champions Japan on this same field. (AP)



Edited by Edmond Fong