Caribes de Anzoategui defeated Navegantes del Magallanes by a close margin of 6-5

Havana, January 19 (RHC)-- Caribes de Anzoategui defeated Navegantes del Magallanes by a close margin of 6-5 in the first game of the grand final of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP).

In a game played at the Alfonso Carrasquel Stadium in Puerto La Cruz, the Navegantes took an early lead thanks to a solo home run by Ángel Reyes in the top of the first inning, and added two more runs in the fourth inning, driven by sacrifice bunts by Leonardo Reginatto and Jesse Castillo.

The hosts and defending champions scored a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, brought in by Willians Astudillo's run-scoring single that opened the rubber doors for Rafael Ortega.

Two innings later, Astudillo and Asdrúbal Cabrera hit consecutive home runs to put Anzoátegui ahead before the delirium of their fans.

The Magallanes tied the game in the seventh act thanks to Arturo Nieto's RBI, and went up in the eighth with Alejandro de Aza's run-scoring double.

The Caribes secured the victory with a two-run rally in the bottom of the eighth inning, in which the designated player Balbino Fuenmayor, author of a decisive hit to center field, played a key role.

Starter Willians Astudillo led Anzoátegui's offense by hitting 4-2 with a home run and three runs batted in, while Lester Oliveros got the win, with Silvino Bracho, a reinforcement from Leones del Caracas, getting the save.

Today both teams will face each other again in the same scenario of Puerto La Cruz, in the second challenge of the LVBP final.