Venezuela defeated the United States 3-2 in the World Baseball Classic final on March 17, 2026, at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida, claiming the country's first title in the tournament's history.[1][2] Eugenio Suárez delivered the game-winning RBI double in the top of the ninth inning, scoring Javier Sanoja after he stole second base off Garrett Whitlock.[1]
The victory capped a comeback for Venezuela, which had taken the lead earlier on a solo home run by Wilyer Abreu. Bryce Harper tied the score at 2-2 for the U.S. with a solo homer off Andrés Machado in the bottom of the eighth.[1] Team USA managed only two hits in the game.[1]
The final was held at loanDepot park, the Miami Marlins' home stadium with a capacity of 36,742, which hosted the championship game as part of the 2026 WBC schedule announced by the World Baseball Softball Confederation.[2][3]
Suárez, a 33-year-old Venezuelan infielder with the Arizona Diamondbacks, had homered in the semifinal victory over Italy on March 16, 2026.[1][4] Venezuela's roster featured several Major League Baseball players, building on their quarterfinal appearance in the 2023 WBC.
In a postgame interview with FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, Suárez attributed the win to his faith. "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.[1] 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]."
"I just prayed at the time," Suárez said of his gesture after the double. "I pointed to my family out there – they were happy for me. God is good, man. God is good."[1]
Suárez described his teammates as family: "The union – we are together the whole time. We’re not just teammates, we’re all family. 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."[1]
Sources
- Fox News Digital, "Venezuela shocks Team USA to win World Baseball Classic for first time", March 18, 2026, https://www.foxnews.com/sports
- World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), "World Baseball Classic 2026 dates and venues announced", September 14, 2023, https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/world-baseball-classic-2026-dates-venues-announced
- Miami Marlins, "loanDepot park", accessed October 2024, https://www.mlb.com/marlins/ballpark
- MLB.com, "Eugenio Suárez Stats, Fantasy & News", accessed October 2024, https://www.mlb.com/player/eugenio-suarez-570178
