Venezuela wins WBC
Venezuela beat Team USA 3-2 to capture its first-ever World Baseball Classic title — the final drew a record TV audience of more than 10.78 million on Fox and Fox Deportes. Massive celebrations filled Avenida Bolívar in Caracas, and MLB says the tournament’s success could push toward a midseason international event. ( )
Eugenio Suárez ripped a go-ahead RBI double to left-center on the seventh pitch of the at-bat off Garrett Whitlock, scoring Javier Sanoja from second to break the tie in the top of the ninth. (espn.com)) Venezuela starter Eduardo Rodríguez logged 4.1 innings with one hit and four strikeouts to blunt the U.S. lineup early, while reliever Daniel Palencia retired the side in order in the ninth with two strikeouts to seal the game. (espn.com)) Team USA got back into the game when Bryce Harper crushed a 432-foot, two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score before Suárez’s ninth-inning winner. (espn.com)) The championship was decided at loanDepot Park in Miami before a reported crowd of about 36,490 fans in the stadium. (mlb.com)) Fox and Fox Deportes averaged a record 10.78 million viewers for the final and the telecast peaked at roughly 12.15 million viewers in the late quarter-hour, more than doubling the previous WBC final average of 4.97 million. (sportsmediawatch.com)) Commissioner Rob Manfred said MLB is considering moving the WBC to midseason as interest grows; the tournament drew roughly 1,619,839 fans across 47 games in 2026, a 24% increase over the prior high, and MLB has indicated the next Classic will return in 2029 or 2030. (espn.com)) Maikel García was named the Classic MVP after contributing an early sacrifice fly in the third inning and a strong tournament showing that earned him a spot on the All-Tournament Team. (mlb.com))
