LoanDepot Park (Miami) – The Venezuelans did it. They actually did it.
Sparked by Ronald Acuña Jr.’s electric leadoff at-bat, the rest of Venezuela’s stacked roster was not going to rest until it ended Japan’s title defense. It was always going to take a team effort to dethrone the Samurai and their intimidating championship pedigree. It was always going to be a highly competitive matchup, and boy, did it deliver.
Japan, try as they might, couldn’t overcome the powerful offensive blows from Venezuela’s deep lineup. Players looked dejected as their magical, undefeated run at the World Baseball Classic came to an end.
Japan has won the WBC three times, including most recently in 2023, for the most titles in the tournament’s history. No other country has won the title multiple times, but that can all change this year with the reigning champions expunged from the tournament.
Here are my takeaways:
1. Wilyer Abreu brought down the house
There are wild dugout celebrations, and then there is the complete surrender to euphoria that Venezuela felt in the sixth inning after reclaiming the lead from Japan.
Though Venezuela trailed 5-4 entering the sixth inning, the heart of the order was all over Hiromi Itoh, Japan’s fourth pitcher of the night, prepared and ready for the Japanese right-hander. Ezequiel Tovar ripped a leadoff single to right, then he got a huge lead off of first base before Gleyber Torres singled to left. Tovar was already pulling into third base as Torres reached first.
On the mound, Itoh seemed rattled.
Abreu, who had been waiting all tournament for his first home run, picked the ideal moment to explode. Waiting for a fastball from Itoh, Abreu finally got one chest-high that he sent to the right-field seats, putting Venezuela in front, 7-5.
Before the ball even landed, the Venezuelan dugout emptied onto the field in a frenzied display of pure elation. Players jumped, danced, shimmied, hugged and raised their hands as Abreu, screaming and pumping his fists, rounded the bases. It was complete and utter chaos. It was the kind of moment MLB players don’t even remember after, usually saying they blacked out.
Abreu’s three-run home run gave Venezuela the lead for the first time since the second inning. They never looked back. Later, Abreu said it was the best moment of his career.
2. Anything you can do, I can do better
There was no better way to get the crowd fired up for all the fireworks to come than an electric first inning from Venezuela and Japan. Acuña took Yoshinobu Yamamoto deep on the second pitch of the game. The Venezuela dugout emptied onto the field as the crowd lost its mind. The roar inside loanDepot Park surpassed dangerous decibel levels. Acuña flew around the bases and kept shouting “Vamos!” long after he reached the dugout.
Yamamoto, four months after being named the 2025 World Series MVP, left a meatball over the center of the plate. One of the most lethal hitters in the sport does not miss that mistake.
Ronald Acuña Jr. hits leadoff solo homer, giving Venezuela early lead over Japan
Alas, Venezuela’s lead was instantly vaporized.
Who else but Shohei Ohtani picked up his Samurai and Dodger teammate? Before Venezuelan southpaw Ranger Suarez could settle in, Ohtani connected on a slider and sent a leadoff home run of his own to deep center field, reminding anyone who forgot that he is, in fact, the hitter every country on the planet would want at the plate in a do-or-die game.
Suarez allowed just four home runs to left-handed hitters last season, but that hardly mattered against Ohtani, who has a career OPS of .850 against southpaws. It was Ohtani’s third home run of the tournament.
3. An unlikely blast
Suarez, after retiring four straight batters, got into a pickle in the third inning when he walked off the leadoff batter. After recording one out on a sacrifice bunt, Venezuela opted to intentionally walk Ohtani in favor of facing lesser mortals. After all, the top of Japan’s order wasn’t as threatening after outfielder Seiya Suzuki was removed from the game with right knee discomfort following an awkward slide in the second inning. Suzuki’s replacement, center fielder Shota Morishita, had other ideas.
Morishita, ice-cold, came off the bench and blasted a three-run homer to left field, breaking the tied game and giving Japan a 5-2 lead.
Japan’s Shota Morishita hits three-run home run, regaining lead over Venezuela
Japan had to be worried about Suzuki, who limped off the field with a trainer and seemed to have difficulty even going down the dugout steps. But, at the time, Morishita’s enormous blast lessened the sting. The large contingent of Japanese fans, who still hadn’t calmed down from Ohtani’s electric leadoff homer, matched the energy level of the Venezuelans as the roof threatened to come off the building.
4. Take a bow, Japan
Team Japan watched as Venezuela celebrated its quarterfinal win on the field. Moments later, swallowing their sadness, the entire team lined up along the third-base line, just like it did a few hours prior for pregame introductions. Japanese players tipped their caps and took a bow, bidding adieu to a tournament they had been used to dominating.
But things were different this time.
For one, Japan’s pitching wasn’t as powerful as it was in 2023. Plus, other countries and teams, including Venezuela, stepped up with improved and stacked rosters, hungry to dethrone Japan.
Finally, Ohtani was again involved in the final out, but he came up empty this time. In 2023, Ohtani, as Japan’s closer, punched out his then-teammate, Mike Trout, to win the championship for Japan. This year, Ohtani represented the final out at the plate, with Japan trailing Venezuela by three runs in the ninth. He popped out to shortstop.
For Japan, it was their earliest WBC exit since the tournament’s inauguration in 2006.
For everyone else? Poetic justice.
4 ½. What’s next for Venezuela?
Venezuela, which has now officially qualified for the 2028 Olympics, will face Italy in the WBC semifinals on Monday in Miami. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
Italy is riding high after defeating Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals on Saturday. While Venezuela’s pitching staff is deeper than Italy’s, Monday night is still expected to be a tight matchup.
