Matanzas Widens Gap as Leader in Cuban Baseball

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 27 (acn) The leader Matanzas appears now two games ahead of Granma when beating on Thursday 5-0 Holguin, in a day marked by the victory of the monarch Pinar del Río over Industriales, one of the major classics of Cuban baseball.

Yoanni Yera achieved his eleventh win of the season for the cause of the Matanzas Crocodiles by allowing only three hits in seven innings of work, supported by save of Félix Fuentes and offensive highlight of shortstop Luis Yander La O, who hit a double and drove in two runs.

In the evening Granma was defeated 10-6 by Ciego de Ávila with offensive highlight for the winners by Raúl González, Osvaldo Vázquez and Ariel Borrero, who all homered in the match.

Pinar del Río returned to winning ways by beating 7-5 Industriales, with the first win of the ace pitcher Freddy Asiel Álvarez wearing the green jersey of the current national monarchs, despite allowing nine hits and four earned runs in seven innings.

William Saavedra and Ramón Lunar took off homers for the cause of the winners, while Livan Moinelo earned save by striking out three rivals on the bottom of the ninth.

In turn, Michel Enriquez led Isla de la Juventud´s offensive in its 7-3 win over Artemisa by hitting 2 for 3 including a solo homer. Yunier Gamboa took the win by allowing four hits and one earned run in five innings.

Industriales´ defeat, coupled with the wins of Ciego de Ávila and Isla de la Juventud, led to a three way tie between these teams in the fourth seat of the standings, to further complicate the closed contention for qualification to the playoffs with only 16 matches to play.