Eugenio Suárez hit an RBI double in the top of the ninth inning at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida, on March 17, 2026, to give Venezuela a 3-2 victory over the United States in the World Baseball Classic final.

Suárez, a 33-year-old third baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks who has appeared in 1,356 MLB games since his 2013 debut with the Detroit Tigers[1][2], delivered the game-winning hit off a 3-2 changeup from Garrett Whitlock after Javier Sanoja stole second base. Suárez pointed to the sky from second base before speaking to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.

"I just prayed at the time," Suárez said. "I pointed to my family out there – they were happy for me. God is good, man. God is good."[FOX]

In his post-game interview, Suárez credited his faith for the win. "I mean, what can I say about this? It’s amazing. God is good, all the glory is for the Lord Jesus. He was with us the whole time," he said. "We have to glorify, put his name in front of everything. Nobody believed in Venezuela, but now we [won] the championship today. This is a celebration for all [of Venezuela]."

The victory marked Venezuela's first World Baseball Classic title in their seventh appearance in the tournament, held every four years by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)[3]. The 2026 edition's semifinals and final took place at loanDepot park, home of the Miami Marlins[4].

Bryce Harper hit a solo home run off Andrés Machado in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score at 2-2. Wilyer Abreu had homered earlier for Venezuela. The U.S. managed two hits prior to Harper's plate appearance with two outs in the eighth.

The night before, on March 16, Suárez hit a solo home run against Italy at the same venue as Venezuela advanced to the final.

Suárez described his teammates as family. "The union – we are together the whole time. We’re not just teammates, we’re all family. This team is awesome – we are family here. That’s why we play with passion, with love because we feel that on our jersey. We feel our country on the front of us."

Sources

1. MLB.com
   Eugenio Suárez Stats, Fantasy & News
   Accessed October 2024
   https://www.mlb.com/player/eugenio-suarez-570178
2. Wikipedia
   Eugenio Suárez
   Accessed October 2024
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenio_Su%C3%A1rez
3. WBSC.org
   World Baseball Classic
   Accessed October 2024
   https://www.wbsc.org/en/world-baseball-classic
4. WBSC.org
   WBC2026 Super Rounds, Semifinals and Final in Miami
   16 November 2023
   https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/wbc2026-super-rounds-semifinals-and-final-in-miami