Venezuela make history by reaching the World Baseball Classic final for the first time.
Venezuela secured a 4–2 victory over Italy on Monday, using a strong seventh-inning comeback to reach their first-ever World Baseball Classic championship game.
Starting pitcher Keider Montero struggled early, allowing two runs on two hits and issuing three walks in just 1.1 innings. However, Venezuela’s bullpen delivered an outstanding performance, combining for 7.2 scoreless innings while giving up only three hits and one walk and recording eight strikeouts.
Offensively, Venezuela had a balanced attack with six different players registering at least one hit. The team finished with eight hits overall, while Italy managed only five, including two from Zach Dezenzo.
Venezuela’s journey to the final has been remarkable. They previously stunned defending champions Japan earlier in the tournament before ending Italy’s surprising Cinderella run in the semifinals.
The 2026 World Baseball Classic championship game will take place on Tuesday, March 17, when Venezuela faces the United States. Team USA advanced to the final after edging the Dominican Republic 2–1, marking their third consecutive appearance in the tournament’s title game.
Share this content:
