The Villa Clara team defeated Granma 8×2 and remains alive in search of the eighth ticket to the postseason.

Azucareros de Villa Clara overcame Alazanes de Granma this Sunday 8×2 and achieved its fifth consecutive victory, in pursuit of passage to the postseason of the 64th National Baseball Series.

As the home team at its Augusto César Sandino stadium, and as part of another recovery duel of the regular phase, the Villa Clara squad reached 36 successes and positioned itself four victories from achieving its objective of equalling Pinar del Río (40), the current holder of the eighth and last spot. But Villa Clara won the specific sub-series and that would favour it in that case.

In the match in question, the azucareros connected 12 hits, however they also left that same number of runners on base.

Villa Clara scored a decisive cluster of three runs in the very first inning by taking advantage of three errors and connecting a similar quantity of hits, among them a single by Luis Darío Machado and a double by Cristian Rodríguez off the losing pitcher Yunier Castillo.

At bat for the victors, their shortstop and lead-off man Ariel Díaz stood out, going 5-3 with a trio of runs batted in.

Eighth victory for José Carlos Quesada and a saved game for Rubén Ortega. Next Tuesday Villa Clara will host the already eliminated Camagüey Bulls at its Sandino stronghold, in a scheduled series in which it will attempt to maintain its good run.