WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly scored the lone goal in the shootout to lift the Nashville Predators to a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.
O’Reilly beat Connor Hellebuyck to the glove side in the first round of the shootout. Predators’ netminder Juuse Saros secured the win by stopping Gabriel Vilardi, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor.
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Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) makes a save on a Winnipeg Jets shot during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
Nashville Predators' Reid Schaefer (49) reaches for the puck around Winnipeg Jets' Jacob Bryson (78) during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save on Nashville Predators' Filip Forsberg (9) as Morgan Barron (36) defends during the overtime period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
Winnipeg Jets' Jonathan Toews (19) celebrates his goal on the Nashville Predators during the third period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
Nashville Predators' Ryan O'Reilly (90) scores on Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the shootout of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
Matthew Wood, Filip Forsberg and Erik Haula scored in regulation for Nashville. Jonathan Marchessault chipped in with two assists. Saros made 36 saves.
Jonathan Toews forced overtime for Winnipeg, tying the game 3-3 with 1:01 left in the third period.
Josh Morrissey and Vilardi also scored in regulation for the Jets. Connor contributed three assists to extend his point streak to four games, while Scheifele assisted on the game-tying marker. Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots.
The contest was officiated by a single referee, Brandon Schrader, after Chris Lee was unable to attend due to travel issues.
Predators: Host Seattle on Thursday.
Jets: Visit Boston on Thursday.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL
Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) makes a save on a Winnipeg Jets shot during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
Nashville Predators' Reid Schaefer (49) reaches for the puck around Winnipeg Jets' Jacob Bryson (78) during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save on Nashville Predators' Filip Forsberg (9) as Morgan Barron (36) defends during the overtime period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
Winnipeg Jets' Jonathan Toews (19) celebrates his goal on the Nashville Predators during the third period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
Nashville Predators' Ryan O'Reilly (90) scores on Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the shootout of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
MIAMI (AP) — Venezuela won the World Baseball Classic for the first time, rebounding from a blown eighth-inning lead to beat the United States 3-2 Tuesday night on Eugenio Suárez’s tiebreaking double in the ninth.
Maikel Garcia’s third-inning sacrifice fly and Wilyer Abreu’s fifth-inning homer off rookie Nolan McLean built a 2-0 lead before a roaring pro-Latin America crowd. Meanwhile, left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez and lights-out relievers limited the Americans to two hits through the seventh.
Bobby Witt Jr. walked with two outs in the eighth and Bryce Harper drove the second straight changeup from Andrés Machado over the center-field fence for a two-run homer that tied it. Harper slowly trotted around the bases and took time at third to salute coach Dino Ebel.
Luis Arraez walked against Garrett Whitlock starting the ninth. Pinch-runner Javier Sanoja stole second just ahead of catcher Will Smith's throw and came home when Suárez doubled to the left-center gap. Suárez spread his arms wide and pointed to the sky at second base while teammates streamed from the dugout to greet Sanoja at the plate.
Daniel Palencia struck out two in a perfect bottom half to finish a three-hitter and get his third save of the WBC, striking out Roman Anthony to end the game. Venezuelans ran onto the infield to celebrate as the dismayed Americans stared while leaning on their dugout railing.
“Nobody believed in Venezuela but now we win the championship,” Suárez said. “This is a celebration for all the Venezuelan country.”
Garcia was selected the tournament MVP after hitting .385 with seven RBIs.
Despite a heralded roster of stars led by Aaron Judge, Harper and Paul Skenes, the U.S. lost its second straight final of baseball's premier international event and remained without a title since 2017.
Judge was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in the championship game and hit .222 with five RBIs in the tournament, while Harper batted .214 with three RBIs and Alex Bregman .143 with four RBIs. The U.S. scored nine runs in the three knockout-round games while batting .188.
Ahead of a matchup with political overtones, players and coaches avoided discussing the government turmoil between the nations, heightened when the U.S. military captured Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in January. The sellout crowd of 36,190 at loanDepot park was heavily pro-Venezuela, with some booing American players during the introductions.
Venezuela became the second Latin American nation to win the WBC, after the Dominican Republic in 2013. The U.S. took the title in 2017 and lost the 2023 final to three-time champion Japan on this field.
Repeatedly during the tournament, Venezuelan players described the team as a family, and brothers Willson and William Contreras went on the podium together to receive their medals. Most fans remained a half-hour after the final out and joined players in singing Venezuela's national anthem, "Gloria al Bravo Pueblo (Glory to the Brave People).”
"We play with passion, with love, because we feel the jersey,” Suárez said.
In the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, people also sang the anthem as they gathered in a public plaza to the racket of honking horns from cars and motorcycles.
“I’m overjoyed. It’s too much for me!” high school student Yorleiny Mestra said. "The United States is a superpower, and the fact that we beat them makes me very proud of Venezuela.”
While the U.S., Japan and the Dominican Republic got much of the attention ahead of the sixth edition of the 20-nation event, Venezuela's success was not that surprising. Sixty-three players born in Venezuela appeared on Major League Baseball opening-day rosters last year, second-most from outside the U.S. behind the Dominican Republic's 100.
Venezuela went ahead in the third inning against McLean, getting the start because Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers decided the two-time Cy Young Award winner would make only a first-round appearance.
Salvador Perez sliced a first-pitch single and Ronald Acuña Jr. walked with one out. The runners advanced when McLean bounced a curveball, and Garcia followed with a sac fly to center.
Abreu doubled the lead when he drove a fastball 414 feet to center. His helmet fell off when he rounded second and he hopped in excitement as he neared the plate, where he was greeted by a line of teammates.
Rodriguez allowed one hit in 4 1/3 innings before Venezuela turned to its bullpen.
U.S. players had arrived at loanDepot park in game-worn U.S. Olympic hockey jerseys coordinated by outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Jack Hughes, who scored the gold medal-winning goal against Canada last month.
In a darkened ballpark filled by fans wearing wristbands with festive blinking lights, Judge and Arraez led the teams down the foul lines for the introductions while carrying their nation's flags.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
United State fans stand at the end of the championship game of the World Baseball Classic against Venezuela, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Venezuela pitcher Daniel Palencia celebrates after the team defeated the United States in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
The Venezuela team celebrates after defeating the United States in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Venezuela celebrates after defeating the United States in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Venezuela pitcher Daniel Palencia celebrates after the team defeated the United States in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
A USA fan shakes hands with a Dominican Republic fan before a World Baseball Classic semifinal game between the teams, Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
United States' Gunnar Henderson (11) celebrates his home run during the fourth inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal game against the Dominican Republic, Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Venezuela fans cheer the team during the sixth inning of a World Baseball Classic semifinal game against Italy, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
United States' Aaron Judge celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Mexico, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Venezuela team celebrates after defeating Italy at a World Baseball Classic semifinal game, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
