Occidentales wins Cuba´s All-Star Baseball Game

MATANZAS, Cuba, Oct 31 (acn) Occidentales (West) won 2-1 over Orientales (East) the All-Star Game of the Cuban baseball championship, held at Victoria de Giron Stadium in this city.

The luminaries from the eastern region took the lead in the first inning thanks to a solo homer by outfielder Julio Pablo Martinez off the lefty Yoanni Yera, in what would be the only hit of that squad in the match.
The West side tied in the second when Yordanis Samon hit a double, advanced to third base due to a fielder choice, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Leonardo Urgellés off right hander Freddy Asiel Alvarez.
Urgellés was the most outstanding player on the offensive to the cause of the winners, when also hitting a solo homer in the fifth inning against Dayron Riera, who took the loss.
Reliever Adrian Sosa earned the win while veteran closer Jose Angel Garcia took the save.
With this victory, West matches with East at 14 wins apiece in the history of the All-Star Games of Cuban baseball, since the inception of these sporting events in 1963.
The day also included the Home Run Derby with the triumph of Las Tunas´ catcher Rafael Viñales, who hit four homers to beat third basemen Yurisbel Gracial (Matanzas) and Yeniet Pérez (Villa Clara), both with three homers per capita.
The Cuban baseball championship will resume on Tuesday through the start of the second stage with the series Matanzas-Camaguey, Ciego de Avila-Holguin and Granma-Villa Clara, always at home of those mentioned first.