MIAMI — Venezuela won the World Baseball Classic for the first time — and at the first time of asking.

Rebounding from a blown eighth-inning lead to beat the United States 3-2 on Tuesday night, a tiebreaking ninth-inning double from Eugenio Suarez proved the difference.

For the US, it was a second failure on the bounce on the very same field.

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.

Bobby Witt Jr walked with two outs in the eighth, and Bryce Harper drove the second straight changeup from Andres Machado over the center-field fence for a two-run homer that tied things up.

Harper slowly trotted around the bases and took time at third to salute coach Dino Ebel.

Luis Arraez walked against Garrett Whitlock to start the ninth. Pinchrunner Javier Sanoja stole second just ahead of catcher Will Smith's throw and came home when Suarez doubled to the left-center gap.

Suarez spread his arms wide and pointed to the sky at second base, as 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, handing a first world title to the South Americans in their first WBC final.

Venezuelans swarmed the infield to celebrate as the dismayed Americans could only watch on.

"Nobody believed in Venezuela, but now we win the championship,"Suarez said. "This is a celebration for all of Venezuela."

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 US lost its second straight final of baseball's premier international event and remains without a title since 2017.

Team captain Judge had zero hits in four plate appearances 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 US 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. The sellout crowd of 36,190 at loanDepot park was heavily pro-Venezuela, with some booing the US players during the introductions.

Venezuela became the second Latin American nation to win the WBC, after the Dominican Republic in 2013. The US took the title in 2017 and lost the 2023 final, also at loan-Depot park in Miami, to three-time champion Japan.

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 long 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," Suarez said.

"Our country right now, they are going to celebrate for about a week,"Venezuela manager Omar Lopez said during the medal ceremony.

He's probably not wrong.

In the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, people also sang the anthem as they gathered in a public plaza to a cacophony of honking car horns.

"The United States is a superpower, and the fact that we beat them makes me very proud of Venezuela," high school student Yorleiny Mestra said.

While the US, Japan and the Dominican Republic got much of the attention ahead of the sixth edition of the 20-team event, Venezuela's success was not that surprising. Sixty-three players born in Venezuela appeared on Major League Baseball opening-day rosters last year.

Venezuela went ahead in the third inning against McLean, who got the start because it was agreed with the Detroit Tigers that Tarik Skubal would make only a first-round appearance.

Salvador Perez sliced a first-pitch single and Ronald Acuna 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 teammates.

Rodriguez allowed one hit in four-and-one-third innings before Venezuela turned to its bullpen.

"I'm proud of this group," tournament MVP Garcia told reporters afterward. "And I'm proud to be representing 30 million Venezuelans back in my country.

"Next time you do a ranking of baseball teams, Venezuela is No 1."