MERIDA, Venezuela -- Nicolas Otamendi saved Argentina from a huge embarrassment in World Cup qualifying, scoring in the 83rd minute Tuesday to salvage a 2-2 draw at last-place Venezuela.Venezuela almost snatched the victory in the 89th when Mikel Villanueva hit the post to the right of beaten Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero.Argentina played without Barcelona star Lionel Messi, who had a groin injury. Messi scored Argentinas only goal last week in the 1-0 win over Uruguay.Venezuela is the perennial doormat in South American football. It had only one point from its first seven matches in qualifying, and its the only team in the South American confederation to never have reached the World Cup finals.Argentina lost the World Cup final two years ago against Germany, and has been the losing finalist in the last two Copa America tournaments -- the South American championship.Juan Anor gave Venezuela a 1-0 lead in the 34th. Working on the right side, he fired a left-foot shot high into the far corner from 20 meters (yards). Josef Martinez made it 2-0 in the 52nd. Lucas Pratto scored for Argentina in the 57th in a match played in on-and-off rain.Argentina improved to 15 points in eight matches, and Venezuela has 2.---URUGUAY 4, PARAGUAY 0Uruguay took over leadership in South American qualifying, improving to 16 points with the convincinv win.Edinson Cavani scored in the 18th and 54th to lead the romp over Paraguay. Cristian Rodriguez added another in the 42nd and Luis Suarez scored on a penalty in first-half stoppage time.Paraguay stayed on 12 points.---CHILE 0, BOLIVIA 0Chile is winless in its last two matches. Chile has won the last two Copa America tournaments, beating Argentina each time on penalties in the final. Chile improved to 11 points and Bolivia moved up to 7.---BRAZIL 2, COLOMBIA 1Neymar scored the winner in the 74th minute, firing a perfect left-foot shot into the far corner behind Colombia keeper David Ospina.Miranda gave Brazil a 1-0 lead on a quick header in the 2nd. But Colombia equalized with an own-goal by Marquinhos in the 36th in a match played in the Amazon city of Manaus. Marquinhos leaped high and headed the ball in, jumping in the middle of a pack of Colombia players.Brazil improved to 15 points with its second straight win under new coach Tite. Colombia stayed on 13.---PERU 2, ECUADOR 1Midfielder Renato Tapia scored in the 78th minute to give Peru its first victory of the qualifying campaign.Christian Cueva put Peru ahead from the penalty spot in the 19th minute before Gabriel Achilier equalized in the 31st.Ecuadors Michael Arroyo was sent off in second-half stoppage time.Ecuador is fifth in the standings -- which would yield a playoff for a berth in Russia 2018 -- but does have a game in hand on the top four teams. Wholesale Celtics Jerseys . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Cheap Boston Celtics Jerseys . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. http://www.cheapcelticsjerseys.com/ . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. Cheap Larry Bird Jersey .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Cheap NBA Jerseys . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. ATLANTA -- Andrew Cashner could tell in the first inning that he didnt have his best stuff.I wasnt able to locate at all tonight, he said. With us still being in the (wild-card) hunt, Ive definitely got to pitch better. Tonight was probably my worst outing of the season.Cashner failed to retire a batter in the five-run third inning and the Miami Marlins couldnt rally after erasing a seven-run deficit in a 12-7 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.Nick Markakis doubled to drive in the go-ahead run in the sixth and Tyler Flowers had four RBI for the Braves.The teams combined for 34 hits. Atlanta, which ranks 28th in runs scored, finished in double digits for just the third time this year and the first time at Turner Field.Miami erased a seven-run deficit in the sixth on Christian Yelichs RBI single and Giancarlo Stantons pinch-hit sacrifice fly made it 7-all.After Markakis gave Atlanta the lead back, Anthony Reckers pinch-hit RBI single put the Braves up 9-7 in the seventh. Flowers added a two-run single in the three-run eighth.We just werent able to stop them, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. Youre only going to be able to come back so many times.Chaz Roe (2-0), the fourth of seven Atlanta pitchers, walked one and struck out one in the sixth to earn the win.Brian Ellington (2-2), the sixth of nine Miami pitchers, took the loss after giving up four hits and two runs in 1 1/3 innings.The Marlins sent 11 batters to the plate in the five-run fourth to make it 7-5. Braves starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz hit Marcell Ozuna in the knee on the first pitch of the inning, but had to leave the game with the bases loaded when Ozunas liner hit him in the left calf.Foltynewicz gave up 11 hits, five runs and struck out six in 3 2/3 innings.The Braves took a 7-0 lead with a five-run third on a throwing error by shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, Freemans RBI single, Flowers two-run single and Dansby Swansons sacrifice fly.Cashner was chased with a walk that loaded the bases with no out. He gave up six hits, seven runs and two walks in two-plus innings -- a pooor performance after he posted a 3.dddddddddddd38 ERA in his previous four starts.He just got hit, Mattingly said. They pretty much jumped him right from the start.Atlanta went up 1-0 in the first on Adonis Garcias groundout. Markakis hit his 11th homer to make it 2-0 in the second.MOVING ON UPSuzuki had three hits to pass Lou Brock for the 25th spot on the career list with 3,025 hits. Rod Carew ranks 24th with 3,053.ON A TEARFreeman went 3 for 4 and has reached safely in a career-best 34 straight games. Hes hit safely in 18 straight and is batting .376 in his last 30 games. ... Ender Inciarte tripled and doubled and is batting .357 with 43 runs scored in his last 55 games.OVERTURNEDJace Peterson was called out at third on Suzukis throw from the right field in the seventh, but the call was overturned after a 1-minute, 13-second video review ruled that Martin Prados tag was late. Peterson scored on Reckers single.TRAINERS ROOMMarlins: Ozuna was removed from the game for precautionary reasons in the fifth with a knee contusion. ... Mattingly said Stanton (left groin strain) is getting closer to returning to the lineup, but had no immediate timetable. Stanton rejoined the team Sept. 6 after a three-week stay on the disabled list and is 1 for 3 as a pinch-hitter.Braves: Swanson left the game before the start of the fifth with a right groin contusion. Swanson was standing with two infielders behind the mound when Ryan Weber was warming up and Flowers, the catcher, threw the ball over Weber and hit Swanson. ... RHP Matt Wisler will start Tuesday after missing one turn in the rotation with left side soreness. In his last two starts, Wisler has allowed two runs in 14 innings.UP NEXT:Marlins: RHP Jake Esch (0-1) will make his third career start. Hes 0-1 with a 4.82 ERA and has never faced Atlanta.Braves: Wisler (6-11) will make his 23rd start. He is 0-1 with a 5.84 ERA in two career starts and one relief appearance against Miami. ' ' '