Venezuela Defeats Italy in Raucous World Baseball Classic Semifinal

Maikel Garcia says the Miami crowd felt like 'playing in Venezuela' during key comeback win.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 4:37am

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In a high-energy semifinal of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Venezuela rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat Italy 4-2 and advance to the tournament final. The crowd at loanDepot Park in Miami created an atmosphere that Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia described as feeling 'like we're playing in Venezuela', with flags, chants, and sustained energy throughout the Venezuelan team's late-game comeback.

Why it matters

The World Baseball Classic is a prestigious international baseball tournament that showcases top talent from around the world. Venezuela's run to the final represents a major milestone for the baseball-loving nation, which has never won the WBC title. The raucous pro-Venezuela crowd in Miami provided an emotional lift that helped fuel the team's clutch comeback performance.

The details

Italy struck first, building a 2-0 lead. But Venezuela responded in the fourth inning when Eugenio Suarez hit a solo home run to cut the deficit. The turning point came in the seventh inning, when Ronald Acuna Jr., Maikel Garcia, and Luis Arraez delivered three consecutive RBI singles to give Venezuela a 3-2 lead, which they would not relinquish.

  • The semifinal took place on March 17, 2026 at loanDepot Park in Miami.
  • Venezuela trailed Italy 2-0 before rallying with a four-run seventh inning.

The players

Maikel Garcia

A third baseman for the Kansas City Royals who described the pro-Venezuela atmosphere in Miami as feeling 'like we're playing in Venezuela'.

Eugenio Suarez

The Venezuelan slugger who hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to cut Italy's lead to 2-1.

Ronald Acuna Jr.

The Venezuelan outfielder who delivered a key RBI single in the seventh inning to give his team the lead.

Luis Arraez

The Venezuelan infielder who followed Acuna's hit with another RBI single to extend Venezuela's lead in the seventh.

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What they’re saying

“This feels like we're playing in Venezuela.”

— Maikel Garcia, Royals Third Baseman (MLB Network)

What’s next

Venezuela will face Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic final, seeking its first championship in the tournament's history.

The takeaway

Venezuela's thrilling comeback victory over Italy, fueled by a raucous pro-Venezuela crowd in Miami, has set the stage for an epic World Baseball Classic final showdown between two baseball powerhouses - Venezuela and the United States. The tournament has showcased Venezuela's passion for the sport and the team's ability to rise to the occasion in high-pressure moments.