HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 13 (acn) Villa Clara defeated 2-1 Granma and now only has to achieve one more win to get the fourth and last direct ticket to the second round of the Cuban baseball championship in its 56th edition.
The starter Freddy Asiel Alvarez covered the entire route allowing only one earned run and 5 hits plus 10 strikeouts, while Yurien Vizcaino hit 2 for 3 with two RBIs, as the most outstanding players for the winning side.
In the continuation of the qualifying stage pending matches, Matanzas extended to 42 their balance of wins when beating 3-1 Guantanamo, in game marked by great pitching performance of lefty Yoanni Yera, who allowed only three hits and one earned run, and struck out 13 rivals in nine innings.
Catcher Ariel Martinez hit 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI to lead the offensive of the Matanzas Crocodiles, along with third baseman Jefferson Delgado, 3 for 3 with an RBI.
Finally, Las Tunas took an important step in their aspirations to enter the next phase when overcoming 4-3 Mayabeque; the win went to Alejandro Meneses, offensively supported by Danel Castro and Rafael Viñales, who both homered.
Now Villa Clara ranks fourth with a 26-18 balance, surpassed only by the already qualified Matanzas (42-3), Ciego de Avila (29-16) and Granma (27-18), and ahead of Holguin (26-19), Camagüey (24-21), Las Tunas (23-21), Guantanamo (23-22) and Isla de la Juventud (23-22).
There is only one pending game to be played, Villa Clara-Las Tunas, and its outcome will define the fate of several teams in the fight for the remaining tickets to the second round.
Villa Clara need a win to secure direct qualification as it would finish fourth, but if losing, it would be relegated to fifth place by being matched with Holguin, squad that won 2-1 the subseries between them.
In turn, Las Tunas also need to win to earn their presence in the repechage play-off among sides ranking from fifth to eighth seats, since an adverse outcome would cause a three-way tie with Guantánamo and Isla de la Juventud.
Cuban baseball: Villa Clara one win shy of qualifying to second round
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