Venezuela defeated the United States 3-2 in the World Baseball Classic final on March 17, 2026, at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida. The championship game marked the first time the final was held at the Miami Marlins' home stadium, which is scheduled to host the 2026 WBC semifinals and final.[1]
Eugenio Suárez, a 34-year-old Venezuelan third baseman who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball, hit an RBI double in the top of the ninth inning off Garrett Whitlock to score Javier Sanoja from second base for the game-winning run.[2][3] Bryce Harper had homered earlier in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score at 2-2.
Wilyer Abreu hit a solo home run for Venezuela earlier in the game. The victory capped a run that included a win over Italy in the semifinals on March 16, 2026, where Suárez also homered.
In a post-game interview with Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, Suárez credited his faith for the moment. "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.[5]
Suárez added that he prayed while standing on second base after the hit. "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]. The union – we are together the whole time. We’re not just teammates, we’re all family," he said.[5]
Venezuela's triumph represented its first WBC title. The country previously reached the semifinals in 2013 and 2017.[3][4]
Key moments
- Wilyer Abreu solo home run
- Bryce Harper solo home run (8th inning, tied game 2-2)
- Javier Sanoja steals second (9th inning)
- Eugenio Suárez RBI double (9th inning, game-winner)
Sources
- MLB.com
World Baseball Classic 2026 venue, host cities announced
August 14, 2024
https://www.mlb.com/news/world-baseball-classic-2026-venue-host-cities-announced - MLB.com
Eugenio Suárez player profile
Accessed October 2024
https://www.mlb.com/player/eugenio-suarez-570558 - Wikipedia
Eugenio Suárez
Accessed October 2024
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenio_Su%C3%A1rez - Wikipedia
World Baseball Classic
Accessed October 2024
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Baseball_Classic - Fox Sports
World Baseball Classic MLB coverage
Accessed October 2024
https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/world-baseball-classic
