La Habana Downs Santiago
by Ray Otero
baseballdecuba.com
La Habana defeated Santiago de Cuba 7-3, for second consecutive day winning the three-games series over the weekend. Villa Clara got a 13-2 KO victory over Matanzas in eight innings (mercy rule) to consolidate its position as leader of Group C of the season. Las Tunas, Isla de la Juventud, Guantánamo, Cienfuegos, Holguín and Ciego de Avila were able to get victories during Sunday afternoon in the 47th National Series.
La Habana with Jonder Martínez (10-0) getting his 10th victory of the season defeated 
Santiago de Cuba 7-3 at Nelson Fernández Stadium Sunday afternoon. Jonder pitched eight inning allowing seven hits,, two earned runs, and striking out four with two walks. He became the second pitcher in the 47th National Series with 10 victories. Norge L. Vera (7-1) could not continue with his winning string and saw his immaculate record of 7-0 damaged. Roberto Zulueta (Hab) connected a homer off Vera in the second inning and La Habana never looked back in the game. Zulueta went 1 for 2 in the game, with a run scored, his 10th homer of the season, and three runs batted in. La Habana presents the best record in Cuba baseball with 44 wins and only 16 losses and is seven games ahead Industriales in Group B of the tournament.
Villa Clara has become one of the most dangerous team of the 47th National Series and completed a sweep over Matanzas during this weekend with its 13-2 victory in eight innings applying the mercy rule or baseball “knock out”. Reliever Vladimir Hernández (3-0) pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing two hits with four struck outs to get his third victory of the season. Yoannis Negrín (7-5), the best pitcher of Matanzas, was charged with the loss. Dayán Viciedo (Vcl) was 2-for-5 in the game, with a run scored, double, a homer, and four runs batted in. Ariel Borrero of Villa Clara and Yariel Duke of Matanzas connected homers.
Las Tunas completed an historic sweep over Pinar del Río after an 11-3 victory on Sunday afternoon at Capitán San Luis Stadium in Pinar. Rookie Yudier Rodríguez (3-0) was the winner pitching 5 1/3 innings with three earned runs, three struck outs, and four walks. Las Tunas’ closer, Damichael González (8), pitched 3 2/3 innings to get his eight saved game of the season. He allowed only one hit and struck out three batters. International Osmani Urrutia (Ltu) went 3 for 4 with a run scored, a homer, and four runs batted in. Alexander Guerrero of Las Tunas hit also a homer in the game. Pinar del Río could not get any victory during the six games series against Las Tunas in this 47th National Series.
Yoelvis Fiss of Ciego de Avila connected his 15th homer of the season and helped Ciego beat Metropolitanos 18-2 for the mercy rule in seven innings. Fiss was 3-for-4 in the game with three runs scored, a double, and two runs batted in. Ciego’ starter, Raisel Poll (1-1) pitched seven complete innings, with six hits allowed and two earned runs. He struck out five and walked one for his second win of the season. Alexei Chorot (1-3) was the loser. Avileños Abdel Civil, Issac Martínez and Yorelvis Charles connected homers in the game.
OTHER GAMES
CRISTOBAL LABRA: CMG-2 IJV-11 Game Notes: Luis M. Suárez W (1-2) (7.0 INN, 6 H, 1 ER, 6 SO, 1 BB); Rolexis Molina (Ijv) was 2-for-4, two runs scored, double, a homer, and two RBIs
LATINOAMERICANO: GTM-4 IND-2 (10 INNINGS) Game Notes: Arisbel Lobaina W (1-0) (0.2 INN, 1 BB); Frank Navarro SV (1) (0.2 INN); Kenen Bailly (Gtm) went 2 for 4, a run scored, double, and a RBI
JOSE A. HUELGA: HOL-4 SSP-2 (11 INNINGS) Game Notes: Orelvis Avila W (4-3) (5.2 INN, 2 H, 5 SO, 3 BB); Yoannis Quintana (Hol) was 2-for-4, a run scored, a homer, and one RBI; Yeral Sánchez of Holguín connected the decisive homer in the top of the 11th innings with a runner on base
5 DE SEPTIEMBRE: GRA-7 CFG-13 Game Notes: Jorge Hernández W (1-1) (6.2 INN, 8 H, 1 ER, 2 SO); Osvaldo Arias (Cfg) went 2 for 4 in the game, two runs scored, double, and three runs batted in; HR: José D. Abreu (Cfg), Alfredo Despaigne (Grm) – his number 16 of the season -, Yordanis Samón (Grm) and Carlos Barrabí (Grm)
Ray Otero can be reached at:elistas@baseballdecuba.com
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