Venezuela defeated the United States 3-2 on Tuesday night to win their first World Baseball Classic title, a landmark triumph in a politically charged final that resonated far beyond the diamond. Eugenio Suárez drove in the winning run in the top of the ninth inning to seal a dramatic victory for the South American side at Miami’s LoanDepot Park.
After Daniel Palencia struck out Roman Anthony with a 100mph fastball for the final out, Venezuelan players poured onto the field, many draped in their national flag, celebrating a moment years in the making. “Nobody believed in Venezuela, but now we win the championship today,” an elated Suárez said afterwards.
The game, played before a sold-out crowd of 36,190 mostly pro-Venezuela spectators, had been framed from the outset by geopolitical tension. Relations between the two countries have been strained since January, when US forces captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. Donald Trump added to that backdrop with a Truth Social post on Monday night ahead of the final, writing: “Good things are happening to Venezuela lately! I wonder what this magic is all about? STATEHOOD, #51, ANYONE?”. Moments after Tuesday’s final out he repeated the taunt, posting: “STATEHOOD!!! President DJT”.
Venezuela’s players declined to engage publicly with the rhetoric. “We’re here to speak baseball,” Ronald Acuña Jr said before the game. And on the field, they did so emphatically. Facing a US “dream team” filled with Major League Baseball stars and seeking their first title since 2017, Venezuela leaned on timely hitting, depth throughout the lineup and a refusal to wilt in big moments.
Both starters were sharp early. Venezuela broke through in the third when Salvador Pérez singled, Acuña walked and both advanced on a wild pitch. Maikel García followed with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Pérez for a 1-0 lead. Wilyer Abreu added to the lead in the fifth with a solo home run to center field for a 2-0 advantage. The United States had few chances until Bryce Harper’s two-run home run off Andrés Machado in the bottom of the eighth tied the game at 2-2. But Suárez’s RBI double in the top of the ninth put Venezuela ahead for good, before Palencia retired the Americans in order to seal the title.
Venezuela acting president Delcy Rodríguez declared Wednesday a National Day of Joy and made it a non-working holiday except for essential workers. In Caracas, celebrations spilled into the streets late into the night. “My country needs that championship,” Acuña said, wiping tears from his eyes. “I just want to make my people proud. That’s what I did today.”
