Venezuela won its first World Baseball Classic championship Tuesday, defeating the tournament favorite United States 3-2 in the final.
The game was tied 2-2 headed into the ninth inning before Venezuela pulled back in front. Luis Arráez walked to start the inning, then Javier Sanoja stole second after he came in as a pinch runner. Eugenio Suárez drove home the go-ahead run with a double to left center, and then Daniel Palencia retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the title.
Team USA was the favorite to win entering the WBC, but its star-studded lineup went silent for much of its final two games. After it beat the Dominican Republic 2-1 in a controversial semifinal, the U.S. could once again muster only two runs in the final. It had only three hits in the losing effort.
Venezuela opened the scoring in the third inning with a Maikel
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