Team Venezuela Uses a Strong 7th Inning To Knock Off Team Italy In 2026 World Baseball Classic Semifinal; Will Face Team USA Tuesday In WBC Final

In a game that had more tension than a tied Game 7, Venezuela punched its ticket to the 2026 WBC Final, taking down an incredibly stubborn Italy squad 4-2.

For a country that breathes, sleeps, and eats baseball, this isn’t just another win. Before this magical run, Venezuela had never made it past the WBC semifinals, falling short in their only other attempt back in 2009. But this time? The baseball gods were wearing burgundy and gold. The electricity inside Miami’s LoanDepot park was deafening, as a sellout crowd of 35,382 essentially turned South Florida into downtown Caracas.

Now, they get the matchup everyone has been begging for: a championship showdown against the reigning powerhouse, Team USA. But before we look ahead to Tuesday night, we have to talk about the absolute rollercoaster that got them there.

A Seventh-Inning Rally For the Ages

Through six innings, Italy looked completely poised to continue its Cinderella run. They held a 2-1 lead, and the Venezuelan offense looked mostly dormant outside of a monstrous fourth-inning solo blast from Eugenio Suárez.

Then came the bottom of the seventh. It started innocently enough. Gleyber Torres drew a leadoff walk against Italian Reliever Michael Lorenzen. Lorenzen quickly bounced back, striking out the next two batters. It looked like the threat was over. But baseball is a funny game, and momentum can flip on a single pitch.

Jackson Chourio slapped a perfectly executed hit-and-run single up the middle, putting runners on the corners. That brought Ronald Acuña Jr. to the plate. With the weight of his entire home country on his shoulders, Acuña didn’t hit a majestic 450-foot bomb. Instead, he hit a grounder deep into the hole at shortstop. Sam Antonacci couldn’t make the throw in time. Acuña beat it out with pure hustle, bringing home pinch-runner Andrés Giménez to tie the game at 2.

You could physically feel the momentum shift. The Italian dugout deflated, and the Venezuelan side smelled blood in the water. Maikel Garcia followed up immediately by smoking a 2-0 fastball into left field, driving in Chourio for the lead. Luis Arraez then stepped into the box and ripped a full-count fastball for another RBI single. Just like that, a 2-1 deficit turned into a 4-2 lead, and the stadium literally started shaking.

The Bullpen That Saved Venezuela

While the seventh-inning offensive explosion will grab the morning headlines, the real heroes of this game were hanging out behind the outfield fence.

Starting Pitcher Keider Montero simply didn’t have it on Monday. He completely lost the strike zone in the third inning, walking three straight batters and putting his team in an early 2-0 hole. He was yanked after just 1.1 innings, forcing the manager to ask his bullpen to record 23 agonizing outs against one of the highest-scoring offenses in the tournament.

They didn’t just record the outs; they slammed the door shut, locked it, and threw away the key. Six different relievers, Ricardo Sánchez, Luinder Avila, Ángel Zerpa, Eduard Bazardo, Andrés Machado, and Daniel Palencia, combined to throw 7.2 innings of scoreless baseball. They allowed a total of three hits the rest of the way.

The turning point on the mound came in the sixth. Italy loaded the bases, threatening to blow the game wide open. Zerpa stared down Antonacci and painted a gorgeous sinker right on the outside corner for a strikeout to escape the jam. When Palencia struck out Antonacci again to secure the save in the ninth, the bullpen had officially cemented its legacy in Venezuelan baseball lore.

Italy’s Pitching Gamble Comes Up Short

You have to tip your cap to Italy. They entered this game with a perfect 5-0 record, having already shocked the United States and booted Puerto Rico from the tournament.

Their strategy for this game was unconventional, to say the least. Manager Francisco Cervelli originally announced Michael Lorenzen as the starter, only to pull a last-minute swap and hand the ball to Aaron Nola. Nola was brilliant, giving up just the solo shot to Suárez over his outing.

But the plan to use their No. 2 starter in relief ultimately backfired. Lorenzen was on the hook for all three runs in that fateful seventh inning. Sometimes, trusting your gut makes you look like a genius. Other times, it leaves you packing your bags.

Venezuela vs. Team USA: The Ultimate Showdown

So here we are. The finals are set. Venezuela will square off against Team USA on Tuesday night in a matchup that has fans absolutely foaming at the mouth.

This is a revenge game of the highest order. Let’s not forget that it was Trea Turner’s soul-crushing grand slam that eliminated Venezuela in the quarterfinals of the last tournament. You better believe that memory has been burning in the back of their minds.

Team USA will have a distinct pitching advantage, having rested on Monday, meaning virtually its entire staff is available. Venezuela, meanwhile, will hand the ball to veteran lefty Eduardo Rodríguez, hoping he can give them enough length to rest a heavily taxed bullpen.

Can Venezuela complete the ultimate dream run and capture its first WBC title? Or will the United States defend its crown? Either way, clear your schedule. You aren’t going to want to miss a single pitch.