Venezuela Upsets Japan to Reach WBC Semifinals and Olympic Berth

Venezuela defeated reigning WBC champion Japan 8-5 in Miami to reach the semifinals against Italy and secure a spot in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Wilyer Abreu delivered the go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth, with Ronald Acuña Jr. and Maikel García also homering as Enmanuel De Jesús earned the win. Japan, which had not lost in the WBC since 2017, got homers from Ohtani and Shota Morishita but couldn’t hold the lead, setting up a USA vs. Dominican Republic semifinal in the other half of the bracket and a final on Tuesday.