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Havana, June 22 (RHC) – Industriales imposed their will today at the Latinoamericano Stadium with a 5-3 victory over Mayabeque and opened the semifinals of the IV Elite League of Cuban Baseball, marking their territory from their den.
The capital city team found a balance between precise pitching and timely offensive power to subdue the Huracanes, who had been their unwelcome shadow during the qualifying stage.
Andy Vargas pitched five dominant innings without allowing a run, but after he left the game, the tide turned, and Mayabeque capitalized on Alberto HechavarrÃa’s wildness and a bases-loaded walk by Jordan Williams to take a momentary lead.
The Industriales‘ response was immediate and ferocious. After Leodan Reyes left the game, they put together a four-run rally, highlighted by reinforcements Andrys Pérez and Eduardo Blanco, along with Taylon Sánchez’s RBI double that turned the game around.
Pérez himself punished the Huracanes again in the seventh inning to extend the lead, in an offense that chose the perfect moment to roar.
Fernando Betanzo earned the win despite Frederich Cepeda’s solo home run that made the scoreline more respectable, while Yunier Batista closed out the game with authority to secure the save.
On the other side of the country, Las Tunas steamrolled HolguÃn again, knocking them out 13-0 with a 16-hit offensive barrage that included home runs from Maikel Yordan Molina and Yassel Izaguirre, the latter for the second consecutive day.
Enyer Fernández pitched a complete game with consistent dominance to earn the victory, while Sammy BenÃtez suffered the loss for the Cachorros, who used five pitchers but couldn’t stop the Las Tunas onslaught.
The semifinal continues this Tuesday at the Latinoamericano Stadium, while the eastern derby moves to HolguÃn’s Calixto GarcÃa Stadium in search of a turnaround that currently seems unlikely.
