MIAMI — It was nothing personal, but sorry, Venezuela just couldn’t go along with the script.
Team Venezuela stomped on Italy’s glass slipper, and Monday night were celebrating on the field for all of their zealous fans to see, staging a wild 4-2 comeback victory to advance to the World Baseball Classic championship game for the first time.
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It will be Venezuela against Team USA at 8 p.m. ET for the WBC title at loanDepot Park.
And, oh, the United States government recently captured Venezuela’s president and is selling off the country’s oil reserves.
But Venezuela manager Omar Lopez wasn’t going to delve into politics. He’s sticking to baseball.
“I think for us it’s more important to keep our country happy, celebrating, and keep making noise,’’ Lopez said. “We prepared ourselves the best possible way. We are ready.”
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Venezuela third baseman Maikel Garcia is double-up at first base by Italy first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino in the first inning during a semifinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Venezuela third baseman Maikel Garcia is double-up at first base by Italy first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino in the first inning during a semifinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Ronald Acuña Jr. #21 of Team Venezuela takes an at bat against Team Italy in the first inning at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami, Fla.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Fans of Team Italy hold up a flag before the game against Team Venezuela at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami, Fla.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Fans of Team Venezuela hold up a flag in the first inning against Team Italy at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Keider Montero of Team Venezuela delivers a pitch against Team Italy in the first inning at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Italy pitcher Aaron Nola (27) throws to the plate against Venezuela during the first inning in a semifinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
A general view inside the stadium as the players line up for the national anthems before the game at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami, Fla.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Team Italy lines up in the third base line during the National Anthem prior to a semifinal game against Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Italy center fielder Jakob Marsee stands in the dugout prior to a semifinal game against Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Maikel Garcia of Team Venezuela looks on during player introductions before the game against Team Italy at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami, Fla.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Salvador Perez #13 of Team Venezuela dances in the dugout with teammates before the game against Team Italy at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami, Fla.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Eugenio Suárez of Team Venezuela blows a bubble during batting practice before the game against Team Italy at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami, Fla.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
The Team Italy espresso machine is seen in the dugout during batting practice before the game against Team Venezuela at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Hitting coach Miguel Cabrera of Team Venezuela looks on during batting practice before the game against Team Italy at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami, Fla.
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WBC heats up with Italy-Venezuela semifinal in Miami
Willson Contreras of Team Venezuela warms up during batting practice before the game against Team Italy at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami, Fla.
And so are the passionate fans in Miami, hoping to put Venezuela on top of the baseball world.
“I was anticipating a moment like this to manage a team where our country could celebrate,” Lopez said, “to be together with the same slogan or with the same goal to support us, to pray for us. …
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“God willing, we want to give that joy to the people. That would make us very happy because that way, we would be contributing to the mental health, life of our people in Venezuela.”
Yet, for the longest uncomfortable time Monday, Venezuela looked like they just might be the latest team to fall to Italy.
Italy had completely subdued the crowd of 35,382 fans throughout the night, 2-1 entering the seventh inning, producing just two hits off pitchers Aaron Nola and Michael Lorenzen.
Yet, just like they did against Japan in the quarterfinals when they came back from a 5-2 deficit to win 8-5, they came roaring back.
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There were two outs and Gleyber Torres was on first base, when it all began. Jackson Chourio, their No. 9 hitter, slapped a single to center, sending Torres to third base. Ronald Acuña Jr. beat out an infield hit to tie the game. Maikel Garcia then singled for a run and three-time batting champion Luis Arraez drove in another for a 4-2 lead.
The Venezuela bullpen did the rest, limiting Italy to just two harmless singles after the second inning.
Venezuela celebrates in the dugout after defeating Italy.
Team Italy had ‘humbling’ experience at WBC
With a roster mostly made up of American Italians, the team sure played some spectacular baseball throughout the WBC. They did everything possible to stay undefeated, going for broke by using their Nola and Lorenzen instead of relying on their beleaguered bullpen.
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It backfired, but when Italy left for the night, they broke out the wine, put away the espresso machine, knowing they still shocked the world.
They put baseball on the map in Italy and one day, there will be kids who want to use their arms instead of their legs to play professional sports.
“It’s extremely humbling to know that the position we’ve been able to put the federation for Italy baseball and softball,” first baseman Vinny Pasquantino said. “We felt pretty good in 2023 about getting to the quarterfinals, but this is a whole new experience.
“For the kids in Italy, just know that we’re doing this for you guys. We want in 20 years for the World Baseball Classic Italian team to be full of Italians, like Italian speakers from Italy. That’s the goal of this.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Venezuela baseball team wants to keep country ‘celebrating’ at WBC
