III Elite League Finals, Game 3 Recap | One Swipe from the Throne
- Yirsandy Rodríguez Hernández
- Jun 3
- 11 min read
Updated: Jun 5
Ten. That was how many Tigres batters stepped up to the plate this Tuesday at Julio Antonio Mella Stadium during the top of the fifth inning. Half of them crossed home plate, transforming a three-sacrifice inning into the decisive rally that clinched the Ciego de Ávila Tigres' 9-5 win over the Las Tunas Leñadores in Game 3 of the Final in the III Cuban Elite Baseball League.
Ciego de Ávila has secured victories in eight out of their 11 matchups against Las Tunas this year, including four straight wins with scores of 10-0, 11-1, 6-3, and 9-5, resulting in a plus-24 differential. The Leñadores were unable to respond effectively upon returning home and are now facing the threat of collapse. No team in the history of the Elite League has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit.
If you haven't read how this story got to this point, you can enjoy the full coverage here:
Alright, let's discuss baseball for a moment. It's easy to see why Las Tunas is trailing 0-3 in this Final against Ciego de Ávila. The potential that brought the Leñadores their three titles hasn't been effective:
—Their ability to produce runs has vanished: they've managed just 9 runs over three games, with more than half (5) coming in Game 3. Throughout 25 innings of offense, the Leñadores have never been in the lead.
—Lack of power and speed: They made it to Game 3 without hitting a home run and with just one extra-base hit (Héctor Castillo's double in Game 2) across 68 plate appearances. Their streak without a home run extended to 89 PAs. They haven't even attempted any steals. Las Tunas hit five of their six extra-base hits in Game 3. Yosvany Alarcón hit the Leñadores' only home run of this Final on Tuesday in the bottom of the fifth inning. Surprisingly, backup outfielder Denis Laza is outperforming the entire Las Tunas offense, hitting three home runs, one in each game of this Final.
—The Leñadores have struggled in key moments: they have been unable to bring in 35 out of 43 runners who reached scoring position.
—No starting pitcher has managed to get beyond the fifth inning:
Game 1: César García, 3 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 0 K, BB, 2 HR
Game 2: Albert Valladares, 0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 K, 2 BB
Game 3: Eliander Bravo, 4 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, K, BB, HR
The starters have managed only one strikeout against 42 batters over seven innings, resulting in a 15.43 ERA. Additionally, the bullpen has struggled, having pitched 70% of the innings (23 1/2) up to this point.
—While Las Tunas' bullpen hasn't struggled as much as its starters, it has still failed to suppress the Tigers' offense. Rodolfo Díaz, a key reliever for the team, has given up eight runs in his initial inning of relief. In Game 2, Díaz entered with the score at 3-3 and surrendered the crucial three-run homer to Yordanis Samón. During Game 3 on Tuesday, he inherited three baserunners, all of whom scored, and also conceded two additional runs in the Tigers' five-run surge.
Due to this ongoing inconsistency, the Lumberjacks have struggled to respond. On the fourth pitch of Game 3, the Tigers launched their offensive against left-hander Eliander Bravo. Rodolexis Moreno hit a triple down the right field line. Ronaldo Castillo popped out to left, Yordanis Samón earned a walk, and Frederich Cepeda initiated the scoring with a single to right. The pattern from the first two games persisted, leaving the Lumberjacks trailing once more.
The Tigers managed to get their leadoff batter on base in three of the first four innings and then smoothly advanced to home plate. In the second inning, Tailon Sánchez hit a double to left field and scored on a wild pitch following a disputed bat check of Fernando De La Paz. Frederich Cepeda might have posed another threat in the third inning, but he tried to stretch a double into a triple and was tagged out at third base by a precise throw from center fielder Leonel Moas Jr.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Lumberjacks experienced their best moment while trailing 2-0. Rookie Luis Antonio Pérez started the inning with a single, followed by Yuniesky Larduet being hit by Kevin Soto. With two runners on base, Lumberjack fans started to regain hope. However, manager Abeisy Pantoja's strategy was evident: he aimed to play for the tying run. Osvaldo Abreu flawlessly carried out the plan by laying down a soft bunt near the mound, advancing the runners to third and second base.
In an exciting moment for Las Tunas, they had two runners in scoring position, offering a chance to tie the game, with Luis Vicente Mateo and Yosvany Alarcón poised to bat. Meanwhile, Kevin Soto and the Tigers managed to secure an out, giving them an opportunity. With an 0-1 count, Mateo hit a grounder to Soto's right. Soto made an impressive catch and, from a kneeling position, threw forcefully to first base. Two outs, and the Lumberjacks were still waiting for the crucial hit.
Manager Dany Miranda's decision clearly demonstrated his authority. He chose not to reveal his strategy: rather than issuing an intentional walk, he risked allowing Soto to pitch to cleanup hitter Yosvany Alarcón. Ultimately, Yosvany showed patience and earned a walk, giving his brother Yordanis Alarcón the chance to even the score. However, Yordanis struggled with Soto's breaking pitches and ended up popping out to right field. The inning concluded there!
The strategy of using sacrifice bunts was ineffective. Mateo and Yordanis had 19 plate appearances but failed to drive in any runs. Within just under two rotations through the lineup, the Lumberjacks stranded five runners on base.
The Tigers capitalized on the offensive struggles. In the fourth inning, Denis Laza smashed a slow curveball from Bravo, sending a solo home run to right field—his third in the Finals and fourth this postseason. With a 3-0 deficit, Las Tunas got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. A walk to Yudier Rondón and a double by Leonel Moas Jr. energized the fans at Julio Antonio Mella Stadium, but the Lumberjacks faltered in the finer points. Lázaro Ponce grounded out to first, and a precise throw from first baseman Yordanis Samón got Rondón out at home plate.
Throughout the season, the Lumberjacks frequently succeeded with aggressive base running. In recent memory, they achieved seven stolen bases (three by Yuniesky Larduet and two by Héctor Castillo) in eight attempts against Santiago de Cuba during the Semifinals. Despite this, the Tigers' defense remained precise. Rookie Luis Antonio Pérez hit a sacrifice fly that brought in Moas Jr.—although Escalante's throw was timely, catcher De La Paz mishandled it—and Larduet ended the inning with a popup to center. The Lumberjacks left six baserunners stranded in the first four innings.
Ciego de Ávila led 3-1 over Las Tunas in the top of the fifth inning, marking the smallest margin in Game 3 history. The Tigers launched a five-run rally by sending 10 batters to the plate in that inning. Prior to the finale, we discussed the Lumberjacks' weak offense and the vulnerability of their starters. We witnessed the bullpen losing an opportunity to keep the game competitive and some poor baserunning decisions.
Let's proceed to the next chapter: defensive inaccuracies. De La Paz started the fifth with a single, which was the only hit required to complete the combined cycle against left-hander Eliander Bravo at the beginning of the inning. Remember?
1st inning: Triple by Rodolexis Moreno
2nd inning: Double by Tailon Sánchez
4th inning: Denis Laza Hits a Home Run
5th inning: De La Paz hits a single
The Tigers had not yet encountered a left-handed pitcher in these playoffs, so they swiftly dispelled any concerns about their effectiveness. What I would describe as the game's turning point followed: two bunts that unsettled the Lumberjacks' defense.
Initially, Rodolexis Moreno bunted the ball, which bypassed the pitcher and gradually rolled into the second baseman's area. Subsequently, Ronaldo Castillo tagged first base. First baseman Lázaro Ponce foresaw the play, aiming to get runner De La Paz out at third. Ponce swiftly handled the grounder and, without delay, fired a throw to third baseman Osvaldo Abreu.
I truly believed the throw would arrive on time, but De La Paz was far more adept. He secured the safe with the clever maneuver he executed to reach third before Bravo's throw to the plate. Pantoja disputed the play, but the outcome was inevitable. The bases were loaded, with no outs, and the "3-4-5" hitters poised to bring in runs.
Bravo's stint ended as he struggled to contain the Tigers' offense: he faced 20 batters and allowed eight to reach base, seven via hits, including the previously mentioned cycle. Bravo managed just one strikeout, issued a walk, and threw a wild pitch that resulted in a run. Pantoja then turned to the bullpen and summoned Rodolfo Díaz to pitch to Yordanis Samón. Recall the seventh inning of Game 2? Indeed, Samón hit a three-run homer off Díaz that secured a decisive 6-3 advantage for the Tigers.
Pantoja's confidence in him typically motivates many of his players, but Díaz struggled to pitch effectively against Samón. He was cautious not to repeat the mistake from Game 2, where Samón hit a low, tricky pitch hard.
As expected, his last pitches in the matchup were predictable: slider outside, slider outside, all well beyond the strike zone! Samón didn't swing at anything and drew a walk on a 3-2 count. Cepeda hit a sacrifice fly, and a hit-by-pitch to Laza loaded the bases again. Another RBI opportunity arose: Leonelkis Escalante hit a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing the score to 6-1. Díaz then allowed singles to Tailon Sánchez and Robert Luis Delgado, extending the rally to five runs.
The inning started with a single followed by two bunts (each representing an out opportunity), culminating in five runners scoring. The score was Ciego de Ávila 8, Las Tunas 1. This midgame score hinted at the inevitable defeat for the Lumberjacks.
And so it was. The remainder of the challenge was merely a matter of time. Kevin Soto pitched 5 1/2 innings, allowing three runs. He was just one out short of achieving his second quality start this postseason, but the key point was that he provided durability and dominated sufficiently to pave the way for success. Then, Yunier Batista came in to secure the final outs, pitching 3 1/3 innings with only one run allowed. I believe Batista hasn't received the full recognition he deserves, but his effectiveness throughout the year has been remarkable. In 24 relief appearances, he's 6-0 with four saves and a 1.85 ERA. While he's not a flamethrower, opponents have hit just .223 against his pitching repertoire. He's the kind of pitcher with a contrast effective enough to dominate the league.
Yosvany Alarcón hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, the only one for the Lumberjacks in this Final, a brief highlight that wasn't sufficient. No one else stood out: Mateo, Yordanis, and Rondón went 0-for-13 in Game 3, leaving six runners stranded in scoring position. Additionally disappointing for Pantoja, Leonel Moas Jr., the Lumberjacks' most consistent hitter, has encountered only five runners in scoring position. When Abreu wasn't asked to bunt, he went 2-for-4 with two doubles. It might be too late to adjust the lineup and see if Moas Jr. can maintain his momentum, after witnessing Larduet, Abreu, Mateo, Yordanis, and Rondón go 0-for-19 with runners in scoring position over three games.
Any of those figures appear unusual for the Lumberjacks, particularly after overpowering Santiago de Cuba's pitching. However, as we've observed, it's not solely due to Las Tunas' weak offense, but also their overall performance as a team against Ciego de Ávila. Over three games, they have struggled to surpass the Tigres' effective teamwork. Trailing 0-3, the Lumberjacks' only choice is to secure a win.
Game Summary
Final Score: Ciego de Ávila 9, Las Tunas 5.
Time: 2 hours, 58 minutes.
Attendance: Approximately 12,000 spectators were reported..
Scoring Summary
Top of 2nd inning: Eliander Bravo' wild pitch. T. Sánchez scored on a wild pitch. Ciego de Ávila 2, Las Tunas 0.
Top 4th inning: Denis Laza homered on a line drive to right. Ciego de Ávila 3, Las Tunas 0.
Bottom 4th inning: Luis A. Pérez hit a sacrifice fly to right. L. Moas scored. L. Ponce to second on a fielding error by catcher Fernando De La Paz. Ciego de Ávila 3, Las Tunas 1.
Top 5th inning: Yordanis Samón walked. R. Castillo to second. R. Moreno to third. F. De La Paz scored. Ciego de Ávila 4, Las Tunas 1.
Top 5th inning: Frederich Cepeda hit a sacrifice fly to left. R. Moreno scored. Ciego de Ávila 5, Las Tunas 1.
Top 5th inning: Leonelkis Escalante hit a sacrifice fly to right. Y. Samón to third. R. Castillo scored. Ciego de Ávila 6, Las Tunas 1.
Top 5th inning: Tailon Sánchez singled on a ground ball to shortstop. D. Laza to second. Y. Samón scored. Ciego de Ávila 7, Las Tunas 1.
Top 5th inning: Robert Luis Delgado singled on a ground ball to left. T. Sánchez to second. D. Laza scored. Ciego de Ávila 8, Las Tunas 1.
Bottom 5th inning: Yosvany Alarcón homered to center field. Ciego de Ávila 8, Las Tunas 2.
Bottom 6th inning: Jeans Lucas Baldoquín hit a sacrifice fly to center field. L. Moas scored. Ciego de Ávila 8, Las Tunas 3.
Bottom 8th inning: Héctor Castillo singled on a ground ball to center. Y. Rondón scored. Ciego de Ávila 8, Las Tunas 4.
Top of 9th inning: Leonelkis Escalante reached on a fielding error by shortstop Luis A. Pérez. Y. Samón scored. Ciego de Ávila 9, Las Tunas 4.
Bottom of 9th inning: Yosvany Alarcón grounded out to shortstop. O. Abreu scored. Ciego de Ávila 9, Las Tunas 5.
The MVP
The team put on an excellent performance, but I want to highlight Frederich Cepeda, who initiated the scoring with a 1-0 lead and ended the game going 3-for-4, including a double and two RBIs. His influence extends beyond his batting skills, as he provides invaluable inspiration to the team both on and off the field.
What We Learned
Let me reiterate: defense can be as crucial in deciding the outcome of a game as offense and pitching. Imagine if the Lumberjacks had turned Moreno's and Castillo's bunts into outs in the top of the fifth inning. The entire inning shifted after the hypothetical first out by Moreno. Would Castillo have still attempted a bunt for a sacrifice fly or to get on base with a runner on second and one out? Baseball is both thrilling and unpredictable!
Key Moment
The top of the fifth inning, where the Tigers' assertive gameplay and quick base running kept the Lumberjacks in check.
The Surprising Stat You Should Know
Did you catch what Abeisy Pantoja mentioned at the press conference? Pantoja, who served as the hitting coach for several years before securing two consecutive titles as the Lumberjacks' manager, noted that the hitters were pulling the ball excessively. It seems they might have become too confident in the pitchers' speed. The fact is, he's spot on: Las Tunas went 2-for-13 when pulling the ball in Game 3. The Leñadores had only one extra-base hit between Games 1 and 2, but this afternoon they managed five. The strongest hits were directed to center field: a double to center field by Abreu, a double to center field and a triple to right field by Moas Jr., and a home run to center field by Yosvany Alarcón.
Managers' Decisions
Abeisy Pantoja opted for Osvaldo Abreu to execute a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners in the bottom of the third inning. This is a tactic he's used multiple times this year, depending on his key hitters to come through in important moments. However, it didn't work out. As mentioned earlier, Luis Vicente Mateo is 0-for-6 in this Final with runners in scoring position, and Yordanis Alarcón is 0-for-5 in these situations. Neither managed to succeed. The strategy failed this time. That's baseball.
A story to follow for Game 4
Right-hander Luis Alberto Marrero made a triumphant return from injury against Industriales, guiding the Tigres to a semifinal win with an unforgettable performance. This Wednesday, Marrero is set for his second start of the year against the Leñadores. In his last outing, he didn't face a single batter before exiting the game due to injury. Can Marrero offer the Tigres the stamina needed to clinch Game 4? Or will the Leñadores start envisioning a remarkable comeback, aiming to recover from a 0-3 deficit?
We'll find out if the III Elite League wraps up this Wednesday following the usual Play Ball announcement.
(Photos by JIT)
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