"Wilyer Abreu gave Venezuela a 7-5 lead when he homered off loser Hiromi Itoh in the sixth, driving a 2-1 four-seam fastball 409 feet to right for his first home run of the tournament. Ezequiel Tovar made it 8-5 in the eighth, leading off with a double then scoring on a throwing error by Atsuki Taneichi on a pickoff attempt."
"Ohtani, the 2023 WBC MVP, led off the bottom of the first by lifting a 2-1 slider from Ranger Suárez 427 feet to center after Ronald Acuña Jr. homered on the second pitch from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, driving a fastball 401 feet to right-center for his second home run of the WBC."
"Venezuela reached its first WBC semis since 2009 and clinched a spot in the six-nation field for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament, along with the United States and the Dominican Republic."
Venezuela defeated defending champion Japan 8-5 in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals, reaching its first WBC semifinals since 2009. Wilyer Abreu hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning, and Maikel Garcia sparked the comeback with a two-run shot. Ronald Acuña Jr. also homered for Venezuela. Despite Shohei Ohtani hitting his third tournament home run, Japan's 11-game WBC winning streak ended. Venezuela clinched qualification for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament alongside the United States and Dominican Republic. Venezuela will face Italy in the semifinals on Monday.
Read at ESPN.com
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