Venezuela defeats U.S. 3-2 in World Baseball Classic final; Suárez credits faith
Authored by sportsite777.com, Mar 18, 2026
Venezuela beat 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.[1][3][4]
Eugenio Suárez, a 34-year-old Venezuelan third baseman currently with the Arizona Diamondbacks, hit an RBI double in the top of the ninth inning off Garrett Whitlock that scored Javier Sanoja from second base for the game-winning run.[1][2]
In a postgame interview with FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, Suárez said: "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."[1]
Suárez 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]."[1]
Wilyer Abreu, an outfielder for the Boston Red Sox, hit a solo home run earlier to help Venezuela build a lead.[1] Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies hit a solo home run off Andrés Machado in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score at 2-2.[1]
The victory marked Venezuela's first WBC championship. The tournament, sanctioned by Major League Baseball and the World Baseball Softball Confederation, concluded its 2026 edition with the final at loanDepot park, home of the Miami Marlins.[3][4]
Suárez also hit a solo home run in Venezuela's semifinal win over Italy on March 16, 2026, at the same venue.[1]
"The union – we are together the whole time. We’re not just teammates, we’re all family," Suárez said. "This team is awesome – we are family here."[1]
Sources
- Fox News Digital
Fox News Sports Coverage
Accessed October 2024
https://www.foxnews.com/sports - MLB.com
Eugenio Suárez Player Page
Accessed October 2024
https://www.mlb.com/player/eugenio-suarez-608032 - MLB.com
2026 World Baseball Classic
Accessed October 2024
https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/2026 - Wikipedia
LoanDepot park
Accessed October 2024
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LoanDepot_park - ESPN
Eugenio Suárez Player Profile
Accessed October 2024
https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/32899/eugenio-suarez