The Navegantes de Magallanes, 1-1 during the LVBP’s round robin, are looking to get back to the Caribbean Series and repeat as champions of the Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional.
First-year manager Yadier Molina led Magallanes to a 29-27 fourth-place finish during the regular season. Since joining the team, Molina was hired as the manager for Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic. The LVBP is a huge test of his management ability as he navigates the round robin with a chance to bring the ball club to the Caribbean Series, held this year in Caracas.
Magallanes traveled to to face Tigres de Aragua(1-1), looking to advance their record to over .500. On Tuesday night Magallanes, took a 7-1 loss to Cardenales de Lara BBC in their second game of the round robin.
Tigres manager Willie Romero called upon starting pitcher David Ramos to stop the offense of Magallanes. Molina would have starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez take the ball with eyes on placing an above .500 record during the Round Robin.
In the bottom of the second inning, Tigres struck first when catcher Wilson Ramos tapped a soft ground ball to third basemen Bryant Flete, with Carlos Rivero comes around to score on Flete’s throwing error to first base for a 1-0 lead.
Three innings later, Carlos Tocci drove a single to left field scoring Yonathan Mendoza to make the score 3-0.
Carlos Rivero would add insurance for Tigres in the bottom of the sixth with a home run over the left center field wall and a 4-0 Tigres lead. Navigates starter Henderson Alvarez went 4.2 innings, allowing seven hits, two earned runs, no strikeouts and no walks, and Molina would be forced to go to his bullpen early.
Tigres would not look back with their offense the rest of the way as they went on to beat Magallanes 7-0 and just allowing two hits all night from the pitching staff.
Tigres stater David Ramos went 6.1 innings allowing two hits, walking one batter, and striking out two. The Aragua bullpen combined for three strikeouts and no walks to finish the shutout.
Magallanes, at 1-2, will play 1-2 Tiburones La Guaira on Friday at 6 p.m. EST. Tigres, now 2-1, will travel to Barquisimeto to play 2-1 Cardenales de Lara at 6 p.m EST.