Santiago de Cuba takes another step toward qualifying for the postseason of the III Elite League, with a 14-8 victory over Las Tunas

The Santiago de Cuba Wasps moved closer to securing a postseason spot in the Third Cuban Baseball Elite League (III ELCB) with a 14-8 win against Las Tunas this afternoon at Guillermón Moncada Park in Santiago de Cuba.

The win allowed the Wasps to extend their lead to two games over their competitor for the last playoff position, the Granma Alazanes, and also narrowed the difference between second-place Ciego de Ávila and the leader Las Tunas to just half a game.

Santiago trailed 7-3 at the bottom of the fifth inning when they began a comeback against Las Tunas starter Raidel Alfonso and first reliever Keniel Ferráz (2-1). They scored three runs in the fifth inning and added seven more in the seventh, maintaining the lead until the game concluded with a victory.

In the fifth inning, starter Alfonso unraveled after giving up a leadoff single to José L. Gutiérrez and issuing a walk to Jeison Martínez. The pivotal moment came when Yoelquis Guibert hit his 11th home run of the season against Ferráz, a three-run shot that narrowed Santiago's deficit to 7-6.

Two innings later, the crucial runs came in. Facing Ferráz once more, Gutiérrez and Martínez began the inning by getting on base with hits. They were then brought home by Eduardo García's double following Guibert's out. This hit changed the score, giving Santiago an 8-7 lead and bringing García's total RBIs in the game to four, solidifying his commanding lead in the category in the III ELCB, now totaling 47.

Between Eduardo García (center) and Yoelkis Guibert (right), have contributed with 21 home runs and 78 RBIs to Santiago de Cuba in this Third Cuban Baseball Elite League. (Photo by Radio Bayamo)

An intentional walk to Edilse Silva followed by a single from Luis Veranes added another run, prompting the Las Tunas reliever's exit. Right-hander Rodolfo Díaz then took the mound, and after the second out came from a fielder's choice grounder by catcher Alexander Llánes, shortstop Brayan Pérez delivered a crucial hit, smashing a three-run home run down the left field to push the lead to 12-7. Gutiérrez contributed the final run of the inning with a double to center after Maikol Poll's single.

Ferráz pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing six earned runs and five hits, and was ultimately credited with the loss. In the eighth inning, Santiago scored another run off the new reliever, veteran Yoelkis Cruz, when two hit-by-pitches were followed by a decisive RBI single from Veranes.

After Santiago de Cuba took a 3-0 lead in the first inning, highlighted by Eduardo García's 10th two-run home run of the season, Las Tunas made a strong comeback against Santiago de Cuba's starter Yosiel Serrano, forcing him out in the top of the fifth inning as they scored six runs. During that inning, the Leñadores amassed seven hits, including an RBI single by Yuniesky Larduet, a two-run triple by Yunier Rondón, a sacrifice fly by Leonel Moas that brought in another run, a single by Yordanys Alarcón for the fifth run, followed by a single from catcher Deismel Hurtado to finish the six-run rally. In the eighth inning, Larduet delivered an RBI double for the last run of the game for Las Tunas.

The pair of Joel Tejeda (3-0) and Isdenis Núñez successfully halted Las Tunas' offense, pitching a combined 4 2/3 innings and allowing only two runs, with one strikeout and one walk, to clinch the crucial win. Tejeda, although giving up two runs, was effective over his 3 2/3 innings and earned the victory. Isdenis delivered a flawless performance in the ninth inning, despite it not being a save situation.

The two teams are set to face off once more this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at the Guillermón Moncada stadium, for the second game in their four-game series. Las Tunas remains ahead in the overall series of this III ELCB, with a lead of 3 games to 2.