Venezuela defeats U.S. 3-2 for first World Baseball Classic title

Venezuela stunned the United States successful the World Baseball Classic final, beating the Americans 3-2 for the country's archetypal WBC title.

Maikel Garcia got Venezuela connected the committee with a sacrifice alert that scored Salvador Perez successful the apical of the 3rd. Then Wilyer Abreu added different tally with a solo changeable successful the 5th. 

The U.S. bats, meanwhile, had been silenced until the bottommost of the 8th, erstwhile Philadelphia Phillies prima Bryce Harper deed a game-tying 2-run location run.

But a leadoff locomotion successful the apical of the 9th allowed Eugenio Suárez to sound successful what would beryllium to beryllium the winning run, smacking a treble to near halfway tract and scoring pinch runner Javier Sonoja.

Wilyer Abreu #16 of Team Venezuela celebrates with his teammates aft hitting a location tally successful the apical of the 5th inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship game. Scott Audette/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images