Venezuela mounted a dramatic comeback to defeat defending champion Japan 8-5 in the World Baseball Classic, advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2009. Wilyer Abreu delivered the decisive blow with a go-ahead three-run homer off Hiromi Itoh in the sixth inning, breaking a 5-5 tie.

Shohei Ohtani's third home run of the tournament wasn't enough for Japan, which saw its 11-game WBC winning streak snapped. The 2023 WBC MVP led off the game with a 427-foot shot, but Venezuela's bats came alive in the middle innings. Maikel Garcia's two-run homer in the fifth pulled Venezuela within one run, setting the stage for Abreu's heroics.

Venezuela's victory clinched a spot in the six-nation field for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament, joining the United States and Dominican Republic. The Venezuelan team will face unbeaten Italy in the semifinals, while the U.S. takes on the Dominicans in the other semifinal matchup. Enmanuel De Jesus pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings for the win, and Daniel Palencia secured the save by getting Ohtani to pop out for the final out.