BCL 2025 | The Las Tunas Lumberjacks advance to the semifinals with an 11-6 win over the Florida Titans of Puerto Rico.

Left-hander Yoennis Yera' solid start, alongside effective bullpen support and an offense that amassed 17 hits, enabled the Las Tunas Lumberjacks to secure an 11-6 victory over the Florida Titans of Puerto Rico. This win advanced them to the semifinals of the Baseball Champions League of the Americas, which has been taking place since last Tuesday at the Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium in Mexico City.

Box score

In the first inning, Yera conceded two runs due to two singles, two fielder's choices, and an error by the Cuban defense. However, the left-hander bounced back, pitching three consecutive scoreless innings with six strikeouts, which provided his team an opportunity to rally in the game.

That's exactly what Cuba's starting lineup accomplished. In the first inning, Yoelkis Guibert hit a solo home run off right-handed starter Jean Pérez Valera, narrowing the gap to a single run.

The following inning, the game was tied. Rafael Viñales and Yordanis Alarcón hit singles, and Roberto Baldoquín was walked, loading the bases. Tailon Sánchez then delivered an RBI single to right field. The potential for more runs was cut short when Yuniesky Larduet grounded into a double play, ending the inning.

In the third inning, Las Tunas gained a commanding lead over Valera. Roel Santos started with a single to right field, followed by Luis V. Mateo drawing a walk. After Guibert struck out, three back-to-back singles by Yosvani Alarcón, Viñales, and Baldoquín propelled the Cubans to a 5-2 advantage, a lead they maintained for the rest of the game.

The inning's final run was led by Tailon Sánchez, who, following Yordanis Alarcón's out, hit a single to center field, increasing the lead to 6-2 and prompting starter Valera to head to the dugout.

Valera simply had a poor outing, completing just 2 2/3 innings, giving up 9 hits and six earned runs, along with two walks and three strikeouts, resulting in a loss.

However, the Titans' bullpen, with first reliever Keven O. Ramos, did not meet expectations. In the fourth inning, he struggled to contain the Lumberjacks' offense, conceding six hits and bringing the score to 11-2. Santos began the inning with a double down the left field line and scored shortly after on Mateo's single to right field. Guibert was hit by a pitch, and Yosvani Alarcón doubled to right, adding the second run of the inning and placing runners on second and third. Viñales' sacrifice fly brought in the third run for Las Tunas, while Baldoquín's single drove in the tenth run that resulted in Ramos being pulled out of the game. The inning's last run was scored when Yordanis Alarcón hit a single, moving Baldoquín to third base, and Sánchez's single brought the score to 11-2.

Solid start by left-hander Yoenis Yera, who struck out eight in five innings against the Florida Titans. (Photo by Olmecas Tabasco)

During this time, Yera maintained his dominance by retiring nine of the ten batters he faced between the second and fourth innings. However, in the fifth, the Titans scored two runs against him. With one out, the Cuban defense faltered again, allowing ninth hitter Víctor Cepero to reach base due to an error by shortstop Sánchez. The Puerto Rican hitters capitalized on this opportunity, delivering three consecutive hits from Juan C. Martínez, Joseph Monge, and Kervin Camacho, with the latter two driving in runs. Yera remained strong, ending the inning by striking out Jay Feliciano and Luis J. Agosto. Thus, the left-hander completed a solid five-inning start, allowing six hits for four runs—three earned—while striking out eight and, most importantly, issuing no walks, securing the crucial victory.

Following his exit, right-hander Yankiel Mauris pitched three strong innings, conceding just one hit—a double by Cepero at the start of the seventh inning. The Cuban defense made another crucial error that contributed to the Titans' final two runs of the game. Mauris recorded five strikeouts and did not walk a batter.

In the ninth inning, closer Alberto P. Civil put on an impressive display, giving up only one hit and recording one strikeout, securing a win that propelled Las Tunas into the semifinals of the second Champions League of the Americas.

This Saturday at 4:00 pm (Cuban and Eastern Time), the Leñadores will meet the Kane County Cougars for the second time in the first of two semifinal games. In the second matchup, beginning at 9:30 pm, the Diablos Rojos of Mexico will compete against the Santa María Pirates of Curaçao for the other spot in the final.

This Sunday, beginning at 4:00 p.m., the winners of the semifinals will play for the title in the second edition of the Champions League of the Americas.