V as in Venezuela, World Baseball Classic champs!

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We are family here.

That's why we play, we passion, we love, because we feel that they're jerseys.

We feel our country in front of us.

That's why this is a lot for us as the players, as the people, as the human beings, and as the

Venezuelan.

Now we are the champions.

From MLB.com, this is the Morning Line of Podcast.

I'm your host Matt Monning.

Today is Wednesday, March 18th, and it is the wee hours of the morning when I've finished

recording this, and there's no way any Venezuelan has gone to bed yet.

From Caracas, to Maricibo, to the beaches of La Sabana, where Ronald Aquunia and about

50 other Venezuelan ball players were born, there were celebrations to be had.

As team Venezuela defeated the United States of America in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

One of an upset victory, but maybe not if you asked the team captain by Salvador Perez.

The game was a close one, although the champs did seem in control for the majority of it.

We'll recap the night in the post-game reactions, and get a little sad that this great baseball

tournament is over.

Let's get to it.

Venezuela versus the United States of America, for the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship.

A country with a population of 32 million, versus a country with a population of 342 million,

a country with under 100 players currently in the majors, versus a country with over a

thousand.

Seems a bit one-sided, huh?

Nobody told that to Eduardo Rodriguez.

The young man's duty by Eduardo Rodriguez, the 32-year-old veteran, you'll get a standing

ovation, a terrific outing tonight.

The 10-year MLB vet, who hasn't had an ERA below five in two years, was brilliant for

team Venezuela.

He shook out four over four and a third scoreless innings, giving up just a hit to Bryce

Tarang and a walk, and then the third is offense backed him up.

Team captain, and maybe most popular Venezuelan ever, Salvador Perez, ripped a single.

He moved over to third base after a wild pitch, and it was that guy Michael Garcia again,

this time with the sacrifice fly.

One did nothing, Venezuela, and then, in the fifth, the Venezuelans increased their lead,

but they didn't do it with another boring sacrifice fly.

They did it with a big, big fly.

Another huge home run for Willier Abrayu, to make it two to nothing over the United States.

He was just a little bit happy about it.

Four relievers from a Venezuelan relief court that's been nearly untouchable this classic

came in to continue to shut down team USA's hitters.

They looked worn out.

Joe Davis said at one point, quote, they looked like a tired team at the end of a long road

trip.

But in the eighth, finally, with two outs and a man-on, Bryce Harper said, I'm not tired.

I'm just hungry for some tater tots.

A desperately needed home run out of nowhere, USA was back in it, two to two to the night.

In that top of the night, Venezuela didn't hesitate to strike right back.

Police arise out off of the walk.

He was pinched run for by Speedster Javier Sonoa, who stole second by the tip of his shoelace.

That steal proved very large.

Dave Robert Tessque, as E.U. Anya Suarez, came up to the plate next.

Those who love him call him Geno, and those who love him were screaming Geno after his

next swing.

Suarez in the left center field, Sonoa is going to scour his own, and Venezuela retakes

the lead.

This is game seven.

Stop it.

You bet it is.

Three to two, Venezuela, and the bottom of the night, that has belonged to Danielle

Palencia, all tournament long, and it belonged to him again.

He struck out Kyle Schwarber, got Gunner Henderson to pop out, and finished off Roman Anthony

and team USA with an batting a hundred mile an hour fastball.

Venezuela, champions of the World Baseball Classic for the first time ever, beating the

mighty Americans, an historic victory they won't forget for a long, long time.

Post game, the first person interviewed was of course E.U. Anya Suarez.

He was overjoyed.

And starting pitcher Eddie Rodriguez, who could barely hold his tears back, talked about

what the win meant to him and his country.

It means everything, everything that we went through to get here, to get to this moment

and then we win it all, you know, this is just for all for country, you know, to every

one of them.

That was just, I mean, pushing us, helping us to get over here.

You got to enjoy this now, you know.

Mike Helgarcy was awarded the Classic MVP award after hitting 385 with a homer and

seven RBIs in the tournament.

He spoke to LB Networks John Marosi about his team overcoming the odds.

We thank everything for our country, the country needed and we needed to win.

And this is amazing.

I can't explain what everything I'm feeling inside and myself.

And we're here for good reason.

And, you know, we show the people who Venezuela is, next time they make a ranking, Venezuela

is the number one.

South Perez is now World Series winner and World Baseball Classic winner.

Manager Omar Lopez won after 30 years of professional baseball and in his final WBC appearance.

Venezuela won its first international baseball championship since 1945, more than 80 years

ago.

Soak it in, fellas.

You're on top of the baseball world.

Coming up, a quick reflection on the joy and wonder of the World Baseball Classic.

That's after the break.

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The World Baseball Classic is now sadly over.

It's a tournament that crashes into our lives every three or four years and then crashes

back out before we know it, before we're ready for it to leave.

Viewership is skyrocketing year after year, including this march with some of the biggest

interest and audiences ever seen.

I've had the extremely fortunate pleasure of covering qualifiers and main tournaments

in the WBC since 2022.

I've been to games as a fan since 2017.

I know it's cliche to say, but there's nothing quite like it.

The chance of the fans in the Tokyo Dome.

Greetings from Tokyo and welcome to the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

The roar of a walkoff by the home team in San Juan.

And the one two crushed La Fee Line deep Puerto Rico in Gleiblé.

A Pakistan versus New Zealand game in Panama City.

Italy's Espresso, the Dominican Joy, a Czech electrical engineer delivering an underdog

story the entire gold can get on.

He strikes out old Tony, Satoria as the Czech Republic dug out going nuts.

I'm going to get that baseball.

A cultural coming together of fans, players and coaches where everybody seems to be having

a good time talking and playing baseball, showing off who they are and what they're about.

The next one, whenever it is, can only be bigger and better and I can't wait for it

to start.

That's all for today's morning lineup.

I will be back on tomorrow to, um, I guess, not talk about any more World Baseball Classic

games.

But hey, opening day is a little over a week away, we're just getting started here.

As always, please don't forget to leave us a rating and review, share this episode with

the baseball lovers in your life and enjoy your week.

Two teams, one cup.

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Tiger's Jupiter links.

Keep up, it's playoffs.

Tune in Monday, March 23rd, 9 PM Eastern on ESPN 2 and Tuesday, March 24th, 7 PM Eastern

on ESPN and on the ESPN app.