Venezuela defeats U.S. 3-2 for first World Baseball Classic title

Venezuela stunned the United States in the World Baseball Classic final, beating the Americans 3-2 for the country’s first WBC title.

Maikel Garcia got Venezuela on the board with a sacrifice fly that scored Salvador Perez in the top of the 3rd. Then Wilyer Abreu added another run with a solo shot in the 5th.

The U.S. bats, meanwhile, had been silenced until the bottom of the 8th, when Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper hit a game-tying 2-run home run.

But a leadoff walk in the top of the 9th allowed Eugenio Suárez to knock in what would prove to be the winning run, smacking a double to left center field and scoring pinch runner Javier Sonoja.