Kevin Soto (Ciego de Avila). Photo: Osvaldo Gutiérrez Gómez (JIT)
Havana, August 19 (RHC)-- Ciego de Avila's Kevin Soto Acea painted the Leñadores de Las Tunas in white (2x0) and scored his third undefeated victory in the 7th National Under-23 Baseball Series.
The right-hander worked the entire route against the easterners, to whom he allowed only two hits, gave away four tickets and struck out eight.
This victory allowed the Tigres to move closer to the top of group C with a 7-6 record, one game behind the Tuneros, who have a cumulative record of 8-5.
The other result in that section was the victory of the Sancti Spíritus Gallos over the Camagüey Toros with a score of 4x1. The only score for the Agramontinos was a home run by Fernando Raymundo.
In key A, Pinar del Río beat Artemisa 5x1, despite using six pitchers, and Havana succumbed 5x6 to Isla de la Juventud. At the moment, Vegueros and Leones are tied at 8-5.
In segment B, the Villa Clara team continues to lead, the only one with 10 wins and three losses, but still without the semifinalist ticket in hand.
On Thursday, the Azucareros defeated Mayabeque 6x1 with the second credit to Oscar Luis Aveillé, while Cienfuegos defeated Matanzas at home with a 5x4 score and a total of 22 hits.
The Matanzas, with a 6-5 record and two postponed games, have mathematical options to qualify.
Finally, in key D, the battle between Santiago de Cuba (9-4) and Guantánamo (8-5) will also be decided in the last sub-series.
On this date, the Indómitos defeated Holguín 3x1 with a home run by Euclides Edgar Pérez, while the Indios del Guaso overcame 4x2 the Granmenses.
This weekend almost all the post-season qualifiers should be solved, as long as the rains do not get in the way.
Key B, in which Matanzas has matches to be played, could require some recovery, unless Villa Clara wins a game and confirms its qualification.
In this regard, the National Baseball Commission (CNB) has confirmed that the sub-series of group B will be settled in Sunday doubleheaders, due to the funeral honors of the deceased in the fire at the Matanzas Supertanqueros Base, scheduled for this Saturday.
