Venezuela Upsets USA 3-2 for First World Baseball Classic Championship

Team Venezuela is the 2026 World Baseball Classic champion.

Venezuela struck first in the top of the third. After McLean gave up a single to Salvador Perez and a walk to Ronald Acuna Jr., a wild pitch allowed the runners to advance into scoring position. Maikel Garcia then took advantage and hit a sacrifice fly to center field that drove in a run and made it a 1-0 lead for Venezuela.

McLean started the fifth for the United States and gave up a lead-off home run to Wilyer Abreu that extended Venezuela’s lead to 2-0 over the Americans.

His day ended at 4 2/3 innings as Brad Keller came on in relief. McLean finished the day with two earned runs on four hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Though he gave up a couple of runs, per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online, the right-handed Mets prospect from North Carolina threw some of the fastest pitches of his career: 98.3 mph, 98.6 mph, 98.7 mph, 99.0 mph, and 99.2 mph. The fastest he threw in 2025 with the Mets was 98.4. McLean was fired up on Tuesday, and it showed in his pitch velocity.

On the other side of the mound, Eduardo Rodriguez shut down the United States. He threw 4 1/3, giving up just one hit, one walk, and striking out four to allow Venezuela to dominate the game.

Keller, Will Vest, and Griffin Jax kept the Venezuelan bats at bay and gave the United States a chance in the game through eight innings. After the bats were near silent through seven, the U.S. came back to tie in the bottom of the eighth.

After Bobby Witt Jr. walked, Bryce Harper came up and hit a long two-run home run to center field to tie the game 2-2, keeping the Americans’ hopes alive.

But then in the top of the ninth, Garrett Whitlock gave up his first run of the tournament to allow Venezuela to re-take the lead. After he walked Luis Arraez, Javier Sanoja replaced him on the base pads as a pinch runner and proceeded to steal second before Eugenio Suarez doubled to center field to score Sanoja and give Venezuela a 3-2 lead to immediately put the United States back behind.

The United States once again went flat in the bottom of the ninth and Venezuela went on to defeat the USA 3-2 and are the 2026 World Baseball Classic champions.

Tuesday’s victory marks the first time Venezuela has ever won the World Baseball Classic. This was the first year they made it into the finals and they came in and took advantage and now own the title of world champions for 2026.

The post Venezuela Upsets USA 3-2 for First World Baseball Classic Championship appeared first on Metsmerized Online.