After another home run that will not soon be forgotten in his homeland, Wilyer Abreu flexed and roared as he rounded second base — a fitting final emblem of the World Baseball Classic for a contingent of Red Sox players who turned the tournament into a spectacular showcase of their talents.
Abreu’s 414-foot blast to dead center on a 96 m.p.h. fastball from Nolan McLean helped lead Team Venezuela to a 3-2 victory over Team USA in the WBC Finals — inspiring an eruption among the joyful throng of Venezuelans who dominated the soundscape at loanDepot park. His place as a national baseball hero grew.
Yet while the homer came for his national team, Abreu’s ability to meet a pivotal moment carried meaning for the Sox as well — and he wasn’t alone in putting an imprint on a stage that cranked up baseball’s typical March volume from a “3” to an “11.” As a group, Sox players reveled in collective excellence.
Read Alex Speier's full story at BostonGlobe.com/Sports. | 
