The Venezuelan national team defeated Team USA in the World Baseball Classic final, marking the most important baseball game in its country's history. The victory was celebrated by members of the team who were celebrating their country's first WBC title. The win came from designated hitter Eugenio Suárez, who delivered the go-ahead RBI double in the ninth inning off Garrett Whitlock. The game was overshadowed by ongoing political tensions between Venezuela and the United States. The teams entered with identical 5-1 tournament records, but the U.S. lost to Italy in Pool B play before narrowly defeating Canada and the Dominican Republic to advance to the championship game for the third consecutive WBC.