Venezuela books a dream final against the American juggernaut
Venezuela just won’t play the script. After scalping reigning champions Japan, the South American squad did it again Monday in the World Baseball Classic semis. They flipped the game in a wild seventh inning against Italy to win 4-2. It all went down in a white-hot Miami atmosphere, the crowd completely behind them. On Tuesday, the final boss waits: the United States.
“Nobody gave us a shot”
Eugenio Suarez, who kicked off the comeback with a huge solo homer in the fourth, isn’t hiding his grin. “At the start of the tournament hardly anyone believed in our team. But here we are — in the final for the first time,” the star slugger said.
Up against Team USA — probably the strongest roster in baseball history — it’s a massive ask. But Venezuela aren’t here to make up the numbers. “They’re full of superstars, we all know that. But we came to win the trophy for our country. We’ll see what happens tomorrow,” Suarez warned.
A roar that outshines the MLB
The night’s hero was Maikel Garcia. The Kansas City Royals infielder delivered the clutch hit that swung the game. Playing for his country in front of a packed, roaring crowd felt like a dream. “I’ve never played in anything like that, it’s crazy,” he said.
He knows this pressure is on another level from his day-to-day. “MLB ain’t like this. This experience is totally different and it’s gonna help me be better in the majors.”
Moment of truth in Miami
Before anyone thinks about the regular season restart at the end of the month, there’s a historic title to chase. Venezuela dreams of landing its first crown in a country where baseball is a religion. “We want to bring the trophy home and prove we’ve got a great team,” Garcia insisted.
Across from them at loanDepot Park, the United States will be gunning for a second crown. The final’s going to be fiery.
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