U.S. held to 3 hits, 2 by Legion Baseball alum Bryce Harper, in 3-2 loss.
Despite a game-tying two-run home run by American Legion Baseball alumnus Bryce Harper, Venezuela rallied to defeat the U.S. 3-2 on Tuesday night in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic.
It’s the first WBC title for Venezuela. The U.S. was looking for its second WBC championship after previously winning in 2017.
Venezuela’s pitchers held the U.S. to just three hits. Two of those were by Harper, who played Legion Baseball in Las Vegas.
Harper’s two-out home run in the bottom of the eighth tied the game and gave the U.S., the designated home team, hope for a rally.
“What a moment,” Harper told MLB.com. “I love the atmosphere and I love the chance. Grateful for it. We tie it up right there, and I thought we had a great chance to win that game.”
But Eugenio Suarez’s double off Legion alum Garrett Whitlock (Post 233/Loganville, Ga.) in the top of the ninth drove in pinch-runner Javier Sanoja for the game-winning run.
Daniel Palencia earned the save with a hitless ninth inning. Kyle Schwarber struck out swinging, Legion alum Gunnar Henderson (Post 20/Selma, Ala.) popped out to third, and Roman Anthony struck out swinging to end the game.
- Baseball