Venezuela Wins Its First-Ever World Baseball Classic

In one of the craziest games of the World Baseball Classic, it is Venezuela who came out on top, defeating Team USA by a final score of 3-2, claiming their first-ever title in the tournament. For the United States, this marks its second straight defeat in the title game.

It all started with Eduardo Rodriguez on the mound. After struggling against the Dominican Republic in his first World Baseball Classic start, allowing three runs (two home runs) in a 7-5 loss, he bounced back on Tuesday night, going 4 1/3 shutout innings, limiting Team USA to just one hit in his start.

After retiring the first seven hitters, Rodriguez’s lone base hit allowed was in the bottom of the third inning, which was off Brice Turang. Rodriguez then proceeded to retire four straight before surrendering a walk to Kyle Schwarber.

The Venezuela bullpen did not fail either, as they shut out the United States, limiting them to just one hit, a Bryce Harper single in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Nolan McLean of the New York Mets got the start for Mark DeRosa and Team USA on Wednesday night, going 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, one walk, and striking out four. The first run that McLean allowed came on a sac fly from Maikel Garcia. In the top of the fifth inning, Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu hit his second home run of the tournament, going 414 feet deep to straightaway center, extending Venezuela’s lead, 2-0.

McLean’s fastball topped out at 99.2 mph, and half of his strikeouts were swinging strikeouts. The sweeper, which he threw 25.7% of the time last season, generated six whiffs. Two of his four strikeouts came on the sweeper. Per Sarah Langs, McLean threw the seven fastest pitches tracked in his career tonight, across MLB, WBC, Triple-A, and spring training.

Brad Keller, who entered in relief, recorded strikeout number 81 of the tournament for the United States, which is the most in a single World Baseball Classic. They surpassed Japan, which recorded 80 strikeouts in 2023.

Venezuela had a flashback moment to the 2023 World Baseball Classic, as in the bottom of the eighth inning, with a runner on first base, Bryce Harper hit a two-run shot to tie the game at three. Harper’s home run went 432 feet into straightaway center field.

The hero of the night was Eugenio Suarez, who drove in pinch-runner Javier Sanoja to make it a 3-2 game. It marked Suarez's fourth RBI of the tournament, and it was likely the biggest one.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Daniel Palecnia came to close it out, striking out Kyle Schwarber, inducing a pop fly from Gunnar Henderson, and striking out Roman Anthony to win it all.