Venezuela rallies past Italy, will face Team USA in the World Baseball Classic final
The 2026 World Baseball Classic championship is set. Team USA against Venezuela. Tuesday night at 8 PM ET at loanDepot Park in Miami on FOX.
Venezuela beat Italy 4-2 on Monday night in a semifinal that Italy had well in hand until they did not. Aaron Nola started for Italy in place of the originally scheduled Michael Lorenzen and was sharp through four innings, allowing only a Eugenio Suarez solo home run while striking out three. Venezuela trailed 2-1 heading into the seventh.
Then Italy manager Francisco Cervelli brought in Lorenzen to protect the lead and the plan fell apart in spectacular fashion. Four consecutive two-out hits in the seventh inning, including a Ronald Acuña Jr. infield single on a fielding error by Sam Antonacci that tied the game, a Maikel Garcia single that gave Venezuela the lead, and a Luis Arraez hit that made it 4-2.
Luis Arraez gives Venezuela much needed insurance
Cervelli’s decision to piggyback Lorenzen on Nola’s start, apparently saving Lorenzen for the championship game against Team USA, backfired completely. Lorenzen gave up three runs and never got out of the seventh.
Venezuela’s bullpen did the rest. After starter Keider Montero lasted just 1â…“ innings, six relievers combined to throw 7â…” scoreless innings and hold Italy to three hits in that stretch. It is the second straight comeback win for Venezuela in this tournament after they also rallied to beat Japan in the quarterfinals.
This will be Venezuela’s first WBC championship game appearance. Team USA is making its third consecutive WBC final appearance and is looking to avenge the 2023 loss to Japan. The two countries are 3-2 all-time in WBC play. Their last meeting was the 2023 quarterfinal, a 9-7 USA win capped by a Trea Turner grand slam.
Nolan McLean gets the ball for Team USA tonight. The 24-year-old Mets righty allowed three earned runs in three innings against Italy in pool play but posted a 2.06 ERA in 48 innings down the stretch for New York last season.
Venezuela goes with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who allowed three runs in 2â…” innings against the Dominican Republic in pool play including home runs to Juan Soto and Ketel Marte.
Home field advantage was determined by a coin flip since both teams entered the final at 5-1. The flip went to Team USA.
Tonight is the game this entire tournament has been building toward. Team USA has not been dominant but they have been resilient and they have kept winning. Venezuela knocked out the defending champions and dismantled Italy’s best-laid plans. Someone is going home with a gold medal tonight.
8 PM. FOX. Miami. FOR GLORY.
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Just wanted to say I was right, Venezuela by a million because of Jesus Lizardo. HAHA, all good things happen when you don’t include that loser lizard.