The Lumberjacks swept Bayamo and have secured a playoff spot; Industriales have also qualified; the Wasps are still in the fight
BaseballdeCuba- May 1
- 4 min read
The Leñadores tallied 22 runs in Wednesday's doubleheader against Granma, clinching their playoff spot. It remains uncertain if they will maintain their lead. Industriales came back from a 4-0 deficit to also secure a postseason position, while the Wasps showcased their powerful offense. Discover all the details in our game-by-game recap!
Industriales 5, Ciego de Ávila 4
Ariel Sánchez delivered a crucial double, Raymond Figueredo pitched for seven innings, and the Lions secured a 5-4 victory in the second game of a doubleheader against the Tigers at Estadio Latinoamericano.
The Blues' 19th win ensured their spot in the postseason of the III Cuban Elite Baseball League. The Tigers jumped to a 4-0 lead following a three-run burst in the first inning. Successive singles by Josiel Mogena, Jonathan Bridón, and Fernando De La Paz put pressure on Figueredo. However, manager Guillermo Carmona kept his faith in him. Just as it appeared Raymond was regaining control, the Tigers scored their fourth run in the top of the fourth inning, thanks to a double play grounder by Jorge Luis Contreras, the standout player of the day's first game.
With left-hander Álex Guerra pitching, the lead became secure. Guerra induced a double play in the third inning off Denis Laza, marking his third straight scoreless inning. However, he faced challenges against the Blues' 4-5-6 hitters. Yasmani Tomás began the fourth with a single to center, and Dayron Miranda followed with a two-run homer, narrowing the gap to 4-2. Yasiel Santoya, who had been 3-for-22 in his last 30 plate appearances at the start of this series, hit a shot to center.
Guerra let out a sigh when Roberto Álvarez popped out, but then Pedro Roque hit a grounder to the left. Guerra staying on the mound made sense, as the Tigers were ahead by two runs. However, the left-hander from Sancti Spiritus couldn't finish the task. Yuri Fernández hit another single to left, loading the bases. If the baserunner hadn't been Santoya, the Blues might have narrowed the score with two outs.
The bases were loaded as veteran Ariel Sánchez approached the plate, marking the game's pivotal moment. The left-hander vs. left-hander matchup ensured Guerra remained on the mound. Ariel had previously reached base twice against Guerra, once via a hit-by-pitch and then with a single to left. Historically, Álex had dominated Ariel in seven out of nine encounters. However, this time was different. Ariel Sánchez hit a double to left that cleared the bases, giving the Lions a 5-4 lead.
The decisive moment came with a five-run rally. After that, the Tigers managed only 2 hits in 10 at-bats against Raymond Figueredo, with no baserunners advancing to scoring position. This win ensured the Blues of the Capital clinched their playoff spot, likely setting up a matchup against the team in second place in the standings.
Las Tunas 9, Granma 8 (extra innings)
Alexquemer Sánchez hit an infield single to shortstop, allowing the Alazanes to tie the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning. However, the excitement at Mártires de Barbados Stadium was brief. In the top of the eighth of extra innings, Yordanis Alarcón quieted the fans with a three-run homer against reliever Yanielquis Duardo. After left-hander Geiler Gracial pitched five innings, Duardo took over for the remainder of the game.
The five-inning relief pitch was more than usual for Duardo, who typically doesn't pitch beyond two innings or around 35 pitches. Although he hadn't pitched since last Sunday, he ended up throwing 61 pitches and, at the critical moment, couldn't hold back the Leñadores.
Granma tried to equalize the score with singles from Osvaldo Abreu (who went 4-for-4 and brought in four runs) and Andrés De La Cruz. However, Julio Figueredo and Dairon Blanco grounded out, leaving the potential tying run and the lead on bases. Right-hander Rodolfo Díaz pitched 4 ⅔ innings and secured the win, even though he gave up four unearned runs.
Santiago de Cuba 9, Pinar del Río 2
Fueled by an 11-hit offense, which featured five doubles and a home run from Eduardo García, two four-run rallies led the Wasps to a 9-2 win. This victory sustains Santiago de Cuba's chances of qualifying, as they aim to even the series with the Vegueros.
Tailon Sánchez hit a home run against left-hander Islay Sotolongo, giving Pinar del Río an early 2-0 advantage in the top of the third inning. However, right-hander Mario Luis Valle's control didn't last long. The Wasps scored once in the third and then mounted a four-run rally in the fourth.
All the runs were scored after two outs. Maikol Poll started with a double, Francisco "Paky" Martínez drew a walk, and following the fourth wild pitch, Poll advanced to third. Jeison Martínez hit a single to left, tying the game, and an error by the left fielder allowed Paky Martínez to score. José Antonio Sánchez replaced Valle (3-4), and after intentionally walking Guibert, Eduardo García hit a line-drive double to right field, clearing the bases.
Eduardo García delivered the decisive hit during his next at-bat, launching a grand slam off Sánchez in the bottom of the sixth inning. This swing allowed García to match Guibert in home runs (both have eight, equaling the Elite League record) and regain the lead in RBIs with a total of 40.
After giving up two runs in the third inning, Sotolongo (1-1) delivered four consecutive scoreless innings and, despite facing challenges with his command, completed seven innings to secure his first win in this Elite League.
The action will continue next Friday, with Granma, Pinar del Río, and Santiago de Cuba needing victories to remain in the hunt for a postseason spot.
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