Venezuela Secures Olympic Berth in Thrilling Match Against Japan
MIAMI – The Venezuelan baseball team secured its qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after defeating Japan with a score of 8-5 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The match, which took place at loanDepot Park, was witnessed by 34,548 fans.
With this victory, Venezuela not only advances to the semifinals of the tournament, but also guarantees its participation in the next Olympic event. The Dominican Republic also secured its place in the Games as one of the outstanding teams of the championship.
The game was characterized by its drama and the offensive power of both teams. Venezuela opened the scoring with a home run by Ronald Acuña Jr., while Shohei Ohtani responded for Japan with another home run, tying the score.
Although Japan took the lead in the early innings, the Venezuelan offense reacted with determination. Maikel García brought his team closer with a home run in the fifth inning, setting the stage for the crucial moment of the game.
The decisive play came when Wilyer Abreu hit a three-run home run, changing the course of the game and putting Venezuela ahead on the scoreboard.
In total, five home runs were recorded during the game, including one by Shota Morishita for Japan, in a match that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
After a complicated opening by left-handed pitcher Ranger Suárez, who pitched 2.2 innings and allowed five runs, the Venezuelan bullpen took control of the game, limiting the Japanese hitters to only four hits for the rest of the game.
