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Havana, October 28 (RHC) – The Industriales fielded their best players at every position. They swept the Piratas de la Isla de la Juventud, moving into a tie for second place in the Western Zone during the 65th National Baseball Series.
At the Coloso del Cerro (Latinamericano Stadium), a grand slam by third baseman Ángel Alfredo Hechavarría secured a walk-off victory (7-3) in the eleventh inning—a game that had previously been suspended due to rain. Andy Vargas provided an effective relief performance.
In the second game, a joint effort from right-handed pitchers Carlos Manuel Cuesta (starter) and Giandy Gutiérrez (reliever) resulted in a shutout (7-0) for the “Blues”—the first time the Pineros (Isla de la Juventud) have been held scoreless this season.
Ariel Hechavarría and Lázaro Armenteros hit home runs for the Havana-based Azules, bringing their total to 11 wins and tying them with the defending champions, the Cocodrilos de Matanzas, whose game against Villa Clara was called off due to inclement weather.
The Western division leaders, the Vegueros de Pinar del Río, also swept the Cazadores de Artemisa, winning the final game 8-4 and extending their winning streak to five. They now hold a record of 16 wins against just four losses, putting them 3.5 games ahead of both the Leones (Industriales) and the Cocodrilos.
Erly Casanova earned the win—his second of the tournament—as Alfonso Urquiola’s squad secured their seventh victory in eight meetings against Artemisa. José Román recorded his first save.
Finally, in the Western zone, Cienfuegos defeated Mayabeque 5-1.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern league, the *Avispas* of Santiago de Cuba defeated the Alazanes de Granma for the third consecutive day, this time with a score of 7-6.
For the Avispas, Jeison Martínez stood out at the plate, hitting two home runs. Yuliesky Remón hit a home run for the losing side.
The competition remains fierce in the Eastern zone. With their respective victories—both playing as hosts—Las Tunas and Holguín are staying hot on the heels of the Santiago de Cuba team.
At their home ground, Julio Antonio Mella Stadium, the Las Tunas squad defeated Camagüey 15–5 via a mercy-rule (knockout) victory, featuring a home run by Roberto Baldoquín and the third win of the season for pitcher Rodolfo Díaz.
Meanwhile, at Calixto García Stadium, the northeastern side secured their sixth consecutive win by completing a sweep of Guantánamo, prevailing 10–5. The Cachorros (Cubs) relied on the power of their hitters, with home runs from Rolando Veranes, Lázaro Cedeño, and Yasiel González—the latter coming with the bases loaded.
Finally, Ciego de Ávila maintained their strong momentum, edging out Sancti Spíritus 4–3. Ronaldo Castillo hit a home run for the winning side.
Following Tuesday’s results, Pinar del Río (16–4) leads the western zone, followed by Matanzas and Industriales (11–7), Mayabeque (9–9), Villa Clara (8–9), Artemisa (8–12), Cienfuegos (8–11), and Isla de la Juventud (3–15).
In the eastern zone, Santiago de Cuba leads with a 13–7 record, followed by Las Tunas and Holguín (12–8), Sancti Spíritus (11–9), Granma and Ciego de Ávila (10–10), Camagüey (7–13), and Guantánamo (5–15).
