Puerto Rico Moves Within One Win of U-18 World Cup After Beating Venezuela 3-1

Puerto Rico moved within one victory of qualifying for the 2027 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup after defeating Venezuela 3-1 on Sunday, October 25, at the IPL Academy complex in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. A two-run seventh inning settled a tight Super Round opener and lifted Puerto Rico to 2-0 in the standings, including its carried-over win against Panama.

Fabián Rodríguez breaks a late tie

For five innings, neither lineup could find a breakthrough. Puerto Rico finally struck in the sixth when Jean Rosa delivered a run-scoring single, only for Venezuela to answer in the bottom half on an RBI hit from Enexis Antúnez.

That set up the decisive seventh. Fabián Rodríguez singled home the go-ahead run, then came around to score when Venezuela was called for a balk. Puerto Rico had turned a 1-1 tie into a 3-1 lead without needing a big inning, and its bullpen made the advantage stand.

The narrow margin reflected a game shaped more by pitching and timely contact than power. Puerto Rico starter Gean Figueroa threw five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out five. Sebastián Quiles earned the win in relief and finished the game. Venezuela starter Moisés Alcalde was equally stubborn for much of the afternoon, working 5⅔ innings with five strikeouts and one earned run allowed.

World Cup qualification now in sight

The result gives Puerto Rico a 2-0 Super Round record, while Venezuela stands at 1-1. Results against fellow qualifiers from the opening round carry forward, making Puerto Rico’s earlier victory over Panama especially valuable.

Four places at the 2027 U-18 Baseball World Cup in China are available at this tournament. Puerto Rico can secure one of them with a win against host Dominican Republic on Monday, October 26. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. local time.

Manager Eddie González has stressed the importance of executing the small details offensively. On Sunday, his team did exactly enough: five shutout innings from its starter, a timely seventh-inning single and a clean finish with a World Cup berth approaching.