Cardenales de Lara broke a streak of three consecutive defeats by beating Tigres de Aragua 8-3

Havana, January 14 (RHC)-- Cardenales de Lara broke a streak of three consecutive defeats by beating Tigres de Aragua 8-3, to stay in contention for a place in the final of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP).

Designated player Ildemaro Vargas hit 5-2 with a home run and three RBIs, as the most outstanding offensive player for the Cardenales, while starter Néstor Molina scored his second hit of the postseason after working eight innings with six strikeouts, one clean and six hits allowed.

In the other game of the day, Rafael Ortega drove in three runs and Balbino Fuenmayor homered and doubled with a pair of runs batted in to lead Caribes de Anzoátegui to a close 5-4 victory over Navegantes del Magallanes.

This result put Anzoátegui on the verge of qualifying for the LVBP grand finals with a 9-4 record, escorted by Magallanes (8-6) and Lara (8-6), in addition to the already eliminated Tigres de Aragua (5-9) and Leones del Caracas (4-9).

The Venezuelan baseball semifinal round will have its antepenultimate day this Friday with the decisive Caribes-Navegantes game, in addition to the Tigres-Leones duel, which is of no importance for the destiny of the competition.