⚾ Today’s Edition
🇻🇪 Venezuela wins first WBC title in dramatic fashion
Eugenio Suárez delivers the go-ahead double in the 9th as Venezuela takes down Team USA 3–2 to capture its first championship.
🏆 Maikel Garcia named WBC MVP
🎬 Must-See Moments
The biggest highlights and clutch plays from yesterday’s WBC championship game.
Venezuela is on top of the baseball world after taking down Team USA 3–2 in a dramatic World Baseball Classic final. Just when it felt like momentum had flipped after Bryce Harper’s game-tying homer in the 8th, Venezuela answered right back in the 9th with Eugenio Suárez delivering the go-ahead double that sealed it. From there, the pitching held and Venezuela finally got its moment with its first WBC title.
It was a slow game early, but once Bryce Harper tied it with that homer in the 8th, it felt like anyone’s game. Team USA never really got going offensively, and a lot of that credit goes to Eduardo Rodríguez and the Venezuela staff, who had a clear plan and executed it all night, holding a loaded lineup to almost nothing and keeping the game exactly where they wanted it.
Thanks everyone for reading First Pitch. We will be back in a few days for what should be an awesome MLB season as Opening Day approaches next week.
📊 Game Recap
Venezuela 3, USA 2 — Suárez’s clutch double lifts Venezuela to first WBC title
Venezuela held off Team USA in a tight championship battle, using a ninth-inning rally to secure a 3–2 win and capture its first World Baseball Classic title.
🔑 Key Moments
Maikel Garcia’s sac fly in the 3rd — Garcia brought home the opening run to give Venezuela a 1–0 lead.
Wilyer Abreu’s homer in the 5th — Abreu launched a 414-foot blast to extend the lead to 2–0.
Bryce Harper’s game-tying homer in the 8th — Harper crushed a two-run shot to center to even the game at 2–2.
Luis Arraez draws leadoff walk in the 9th — Arraez reached to spark Venezuela’s go-ahead rally.
Eugenio Suárez’s go-ahead double in the 9th — Suárez lined a clutch RBI double to left-center to give Venezuela the lead for good.
📊 Notable Stats
Bryce Harper (USA): 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Bobby Witt Jr. (USA): 0-for-3, R, BB
Wilyer Abreu (VEN): 1-for-3, HR, RBI, R
Ezequiel Tovar (VEN): 2-for-4
Eugenio Suárez (VEN): 1-for-4, RBI
Eduardo Rodríguez (VEN): 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 K
Andrés Machado (VEN): 1.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 K (win)
Daniel Palencia (VEN): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K (save)
Nolan McLean (USA): 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 K
Maikel Garcia emerged as a breakout star at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, winning tournament MVP.
The 26-year-old infielder capped an incredible turnaround—from struggling in 2024 to becoming an All-Star-level player—by hitting .385 with 7 RBIs in the tournament and delivering key moments, including an RBI in the championship game and a clutch hit in the semifinals.
Garcia credited his confidence and growth to his strong 2025 season, and leaned on support from teammates like Ronald Acuña Jr. throughout the run. His performance helped Venezuela defeat top teams like Japan, Italy, and the U.S., proving they belonged on the world stage.
The win was deeply emotional for Garcia and his country, as Venezuela captured its first WBC title and showcased a powerful mix of young talent and veteran leadership.
We also have the full All-WBC Tournament Team here below, highlighting the top players from the event:
💥 Must-See Moments
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