"Italy has been the big surprise of the tournament, making its first WBC semifinal. Venezuela, meanwhile, is a baseball power that finally broke through the quarterfinals and qualified for its first Olympics. The crowd will undoubtedly lean heavily toward Venezuela in Miami. The atmosphere should be electric."
"Keider Montero needs to give the Venezuelans some innings. Manager Omar Lopez had to turn to his bullpen earlier than he envisioned in the win over Japan after Ranger Suarez logged just 2⅔ innings. Six relievers held Japan without a run. The tournament's pitch count limitations won't prevent Lopez from using any of those relievers again against Italy."
The United States defeated the Dominican Republic 2-1 in Sunday's World Baseball Classic semifinal, securing a return to the championship game for the third consecutive tournament. Italy and Venezuela compete Monday night for the other final berth. Italy has emerged as the tournament's surprise story, reaching its first WBC semifinal, while Venezuela, a baseball power, finally advanced past the quarterfinals. ESPN baseball experts assess the matchup, noting the crowd in Miami will heavily favor Venezuela, creating an electric atmosphere. Venezuela's key challenge involves managing pitcher workload, as Keider Montero makes his first start after the bullpen was heavily used in the quarterfinal victory over Japan.
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Read at ESPN.com
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