Venezuela reached its first World Baseball Classic final and will face the United States after a 4-2 comeback win over Italy on Monday. A three-run seventh inning turned the game around at LoanDepot Park and completed another late rally for Venezuela. Before this year, the country had only reached the WBC semifinals twice and had never won. The U.S., which beat the Dominican Republic 2-1 on Sunday, is heading to its third straight WBC final and will look for its first title since 2017.
Key takeaways
Venezuela 4, Italy 2
Bullpen resilience: Starter Keider Montero exited after 1 1/3 innings, and Venezuela's relievers were left to carry the game. Six pitchers combined to record 23 outs and shut down one of the tournament's most explosive offenses long enough for the offense to seize control in the seventh. (Jorge Castillo)
A home crowd atmosphere: The announced sellout of 35,382 at LoanDepot Park felt like a home game for Venezuela. Fans waved flags, banged drums and chanted throughout, reflecting Miami's large Venezuelan community. In the midst of political turmoil back home, the team has provided unifying moments and joy for many Venezuelans, a feeling
