At loanDepot Park in Miami, the noise didn’t fall so much as it shifted—every pitch landing like a verdict, every swing carrying a country’s weight. In the quarterfinal that ended defending champion Japan’s run, angel zerpa was part of the bullpen spine Venezuela leaned on, the kind of late-game presence that turns a comeback from hopeful into real.
What happened in Venezuela vs. Japan—and why did it matter?
Venezuela defeated Japan in Saturday’s quarterfinals, eliminating the defending champion and sending the South American squad into the World Baseball Classic semifinals in Miami. The game featured four home runs and a momentum swing that hinged on two things happening at once: Venezuela’s infield producing impact contact and Venezuela’s pitching staff locking down a potent Japanese lineup long enough for a defining blow.
The matchup began with star power on both sides. Japan started Yoshinobu Yamamoto, described as the reigning WBC champions’ ace and a World Series MVP, while Venezuela countered with new Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suárez. Neither starter “shone, ” and the early innings signaled a game that would be decided in bursts rather than calm control.
How did Venezuela’s lineup and bullpen flip the game?
Japan struck first with homers, including Shohei Ohtani and injury-replacement Shota Morishita. Morishita’s three-run homer off Suárez helped Japan seize a 5-2 lead during a four-run third inning that also included Teruaki Sato’s RBI double after an intentional walk to Ohtani.
Venezuela’s response was built on the left side of its infield. Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia “scorch[ed] the ball all night, ” and the rally materialized in steps: Garcia homered in the fifth, then Wilyer Abreu delivered a three-run shot that put Venezuela on top, described in one account as blasting “the roof off” the ballpark.
Yet the comeback required something less flashy than a home run: time. Venezuela’s pitching staff—described as an “ostensible weakness” entering the night—created the runway by keeping Japan from answering once the game tightened. Beginning with Mariners reliever Eduard Bazardo, who steadied the situation to close out Suárez’s third inning, Venezuela rolled through a sequence of arms where “not a single run crossed the plate” for Japan’s lineup for the rest of the way.
That shutdown stretch included a mix of pitchers described as “journeymen” and more established bullpen pieces. Among the names listed were Enmanuel De Jesus and Andres Machado, along with relievers noted as having “decent repute” such as Jose Butto and angel zerpa. In the way tournament baseball compresses drama, those outs functioned like a slow tightening of the room—each scoreless frame narrowing Japan’s margin until Abreu’s swing had space to become decisive.
The ending carried its own symbolic weight. In the bottom of the ninth, Ohtani became the final out on a pop-up. The moment was framed as a twist of fate, given Ohtani’s role in Japan’s 2023 championship run, when he struck out his then-Angels teammate Mike Trout to clinch the title.
Where does the tournament go next—and what is at stake?
With Japan out, the World Baseball Classic is headed toward a new titleholder. Venezuela’s win placed it in a semifinal against Italy on Monday in Miami, with the winner advancing to the championship game on Tuesday at 8 p. m. ET.
Italy reached the semifinals after an 8-6 win over Puerto Rico earlier Saturday, extending what was described as an espresso-fueled, undefeated run. Italy manager Francisco Cervelli called the moment “amazing, ” adding, “This is one of the best chapters of my life. ” First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, smiling, noted, “There were some special bottles of wine today. ” Italy’s offense, while not homering in that quarterfinal, did enough to hold off a late push and secure the program’s first trip to the WBC semifinals.
On the other side of the bracket, the United States and the Dominican Republic were set for a Sunday semifinal in Miami at 8 p. m. ET. USA manager Mark DeRosa framed the matchup in superlatives: “I expect it to be, like, one of the best games of all time. ” The preview included Paul Skenes as the USA’s starter and highlighted star power on both rosters, naming Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh for the United States and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Juan Soto, and Fernando Tatis for the Dominican Republic.
For Venezuela, the immediate question is whether the same formula can travel one more night: impact contact from the infield, and a bullpen that turns pressure into quiet. In a tournament where legs are tired and innings are precious, relief pitching can become a country’s voice—brief, forceful, and final. On Saturday in Miami, Venezuela found that voice in a chain of arms that included angel zerpa, and it carried them into the final four.
