After Venezuela upset Team USA 3-2 to win its first World Baseball Classic (WBC) championship Tuesday night (March 17), an emotional Eugenio Suárez praised God. “We have to glorify [God], put his name in front of everything,” he said.
Suárez, a veteran third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds, hit a go-ahead double for Team Venezuela in the top of the ninth. After reaching second base, Suárez looked up and pointed to the sky. “I just prayed,” he explained afterward.
Until his late-game heroics, Suárez had been 0-for-3 at the plate Tuesday night. The 34-year-old, who lives in Florida with his wife and two daughters, called the victory a “celebration” for all Venezuelans. This year’s WBC, a triennial tournament, took place at LoanDepot Park in Miami, the U.S. city with the highest concentration of Venezuelan immigrants.
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‘God Is Good,’ Says Baseball Star Eugenio Suárez
While Team Venezuela celebrated its first WBC championship, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports asked Eugenio Suárez what the victory meant for his country. “It’s amazing,” shouted Suárez. “God is good. All the glory is to the Lord Jesus. He was with us the whole time.”
Venezuela had been a heavy underdog in the WBC, with many of its Major League stars unable to participate. The gold-medal performance was a morale booster for the nation, whose president and first lady were captured by the United States in January.
“The country needs this happiness with all the things that we’ve gone through,” said Suárez, a designated hitter. His go-ahead double to give Venezuela the lead was a highlight of his 12-year career, which includes 325 home runs. After his team’s closing pitcher notched a perfect ninth inning to seal the 3-2 victory, Suárez fell to his knees.
The intense post-game emotion, Suárez told Rosenthal, stemmed from Team Venezuela’s tight-knit bond. “The union—we are together the whole time,” he said. “We’re not just teammates, we’re all family,” he said. “We feel that on our jersey; we feel our country on the front of us. That’s why this is a lot for us as players, as people, as human beings, and as a Venezuelan. Now we are the champions.”
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