III Elite League - Postseason | Yosvani Alarcón' single decides Game 2, 11-10 in 10 innings, and the Las Tunas Lumberjacks take a 2-0 lead over the Santiago de Cuba Wasps

Veteran Yosvani Alarcón hit against reliever Wilber Reyna (2-7) with two runners on base in the bottom of the tenth inning, allowing José Luis Gutiérrez to score from second base. The run secured an 11-10 victory for the Santiago de Cuba Wasps in Game 2 of the semifinals of the III Elite League of Cuban Baseball (III ELCB), held at Julio A. Mella Park in Las Tunas this afternoon.

Box score

The victory brought the best-of-seven series to a 2-0 lead for Las Tunas. Both teams will take a break this Friday before continuing the series on Saturday at Guillermón Moncada Park in Santiago de Cuba for Game 3. After using Danny Betancourt and Osvaldo Acuña in Game 2, it remains uncertain who Santiago de Cuba will choose for this crucial match. A defeat for the Wasps would mean they must win the next four games to reach the finals of this III ELCB. Right-hander Albert Valladares is expected to pitch for Las Tunas.

Thursday's game closely resembled what has been typical in this III Elite League: plenty of offense and minimal pitching dominance. The two teams combined for 21 runs and 32 hits, and notably, out of the nine pitchers who participated, eight conceded at least two runs.

In a game characterized by alternating leads between the teams, neither of the starting pitchers managed to last beyond three innings. Veteran Santiago native Danny Betancourt exited early, securing only two outs in the first inning. He faced a four-hit onslaught, featuring an RBI single by Yudier Rondón and doubles by Luis V. Mateo and Leonel Moas. The latter's double drove in the second RBI of the inning, triggering Betancourt's departure.

In Game 2 of the III ELCB semifinals against Santiago de Cuba, veteran Yosvani Alarcón emerged as the hero with a crucial single in the 10th inning, securing the Leñadores' 11-10 win. (Photo by Periódico26)

After retiring six of Santiago's first seven batters, Las Tunas right-hander Alejandro Meneses faced challenges in the third inning, during which the Wasps showcased the power that had helped them hit 54 home runs in the regular season. Catcher Harold Vázquez began the inning with a solo home run, narrowing the score to 2-1. Following a strikeout of Maikol Poll, José L. Guttiérrez hit another home run, tying the game at two. Osvaldo Abreu then hit a double to center field, setting the stage for Jeison Martínez, who launched a home run to left field, putting Santiago ahead 4-2 and forcing Meneses off the mound.

The right-hander concluded his brief appearance by conceding four earned runs in only 2 1/3 innings, giving up five hits, all of which were extra-base hits. He was effectively ousted by Santiago's team due to their powerful offense, which included three home runs.

Nevertheless, Las Tunas quickly responded. Right-hander Osvaldo Acuña unexpectedly entered the game in the first inning, a decision that could have implications for manager Eddy Cajigal and Santiago in the series. In the third inning, Las Tunas narrowed the score to 4-3 by combining three hits: a double by Yosvani Alarcón, a single by Roberto Baldoquín, and another RBI double by Moas. In the following inning, Alarcón once again took center stage with a two-run home run, reclaiming the lead for Las Tunas at 5-4.

Meanwhile, for the Leñadores, Camagüey right-hander Yosmel Garcés pitched effectively from the third inning onward, retiring seven of the nine batters he faced with one strikeout, and throwing 2 2/3 scoreless innings. However, Garcés encountered difficulties in the sixth inning. Eduardo García led off with a single, but Luis Veranes forced him out at second. A double by Francisco Martínez then put runners on third and second, marking the end of Garcés' outing and leaving him responsible for both runners. The new pitcher, right-hander Rodolfo Díaz, took over but couldn't match his Game 1 performance. Yulieski Remón hit a single, allowing Veranes to score and tie the game at five. And then, Vázquez followed with a sacrifice fly, enabling Martínez to score from third and putting Santiago back in the lead at 6-5.

Leonel Moas (#20) remains on fire in the semifinal against Santiago de Cuba, having already racked up five RBIs in the series' first two games. (Photo by Tiempo21)

However, as had been the case throughout the game, neither team's bullpen could effectively halt the opposing offense. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Las Tunas launched another strong attack, once again relying on Mateo and Moas, who had secured their victory in Game 1. A walk to Yunieski Larduet starting the inning marked Acuña's exit, but the reliable Joel Tejeda began by walking Rondón and allowing a single by Mateo that tied the game at six runs. After Tejeda ended the inning with two outs by forcing Alarcón into a double play, manager Cajigal made another mistake by intentionally walking Baldoquín to pitch to the offensively hot Moas. The response was swift, as Moas hit a single to center field, driving in Mateo and giving the Leñadores a narrow lead once again.

In the seventh and eighth innings, Las Tunas seemed to have sealed their victory, scoring one and two runs, respectively. In the seventh, a walk to Héctor Castillo, a sacrifice fly, and an infield grounder moved the runner to third, where he scored on Rodón's single to center. The hit determined Tejeda's departure, giving way to right-hander Wilber Reyna, at the end the eventual loser. An inning later, off Reyna, Two singles and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, and then a wild pitch allowed Alarcón to score, while a single by Castillo extended the lead to 10-6.

Las Tunas held the lead going into the ninth inning, but Santiago de Cuba mounted a comeback, silencing the Julio A. Mella Stadium. Coach Abeysi Pantoja began the inning with Rodolfo Díaz on the mound, but he was quickly replaced after a single by new catcher Osvaldo Duany and a double by pinch-hitter Edilse Silva. Closer Pablo A. Civil was then brought in to manage the threat, but, as in Game 1, he couldn't secure the win for Las Tunas. Gutiérrez greeted him with a single to left, driving in both runners and narrowing the score to 10-8. Osvaldo Abreu then hit a single, putting runners on the corners with still no outs. Pantoja didn't hesitate and, for the second day in a row, handed the ball to Yanielquis Duardo (1-0). However, the right-hander couldn't stop the Wasps from tying the game when Jeison Martínez hit a sacrifice fly to make it 10-9. After Eduardo García's grounder advanced Abreu to second, Veranes' single brought in the tying run, forcing the extra innings.

But in the top of the tenth inning, Duardo allowed no liberties, and after Alarcón's decisive single in the bottom of that inning, the right-hander ended up earning the win, his first of this III Elite League and which puts Las Tunas in an advantageous situation, needing to win only two of the remaining five games in this semifinal.

Player of the Game

Yosvani Alarcón | Las Tunas

4-for-6, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI

Best Performers

Leonel Moas, Las Tunas	Yudier Rondón, Las Tunas	Yosvani Alarcón, Las Tunas	Yanielquis Duardo, Las Tunas	José L. Gutiérrez, Stgo de Cuba
4-for-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI	2-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB	4-for-6, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI	W, 2 IP, H, SO	3-for-6, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI

Team Comparison

TEAMS	R	H	HR	TB	SB	LOB	E
Santiago de Cuba	10	15	3	28	1	8	0
Las Tunas	11	17	1	24	2	13	0