Venezuela beats U.S. to win country's 1st World Baseball Classic title

Eugenio Suarez and his Venezuelan teammates stood on the stage behind second base with shiny medals draped over their proud chests, belting out their national anthem accompanied by tens of thousands of fans who remained in the ballpark a half-hour after the final out.

Back home, people were singing their praises, too.

Venezuela won the World Baseball Classic for the first time Tuesday night, beating the United States 3-2 in the championship game on Suarez's tiebreaking double in the top of the ninth inning.

"They were with us here in our hearts," Venezuela captain Salvador Perez said of his countrymen. "The World Series, as you all know, is one of the most important championships in the major leagues, but when you fight for your country, that goes beyond. That feeling, the country where you were born and raised, the sacrifices made by our parents, those people that helped us, that's why this means a lot to me and to Venezuela."

Bryce Harper's two-run homer with two outs in the eighth tied the score for the U.S., but Suarez hit a go-ahead double in the ninth and Daniel Palencia pitched a perfect bottom half.

"Baseball wanted us to fail, to fall down," Venezuela manager Omar Lopez said. "You put aside your individuality and you are going to achieve those results."

Venezuela acting President Delcy Rodriguez declared Wednesday a National Day of Joy and made it a non-working holiday except for essential workers.

"My country needs that championship," star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. said, wiping tears from his eyes. "I just want to make my people proud. That's what I did today."

In the capital of Caracas, thousands also sang the anthem as they gathered in the Plaza de la Juventud (Plaza of Youth) to the racket of honking horns