Leñadores cut back and march as runners-up in Cuban baseball

Havana, June 2  (ACN)-- Supported by the lumber of its slugger Yosvani Alarcón, the team of Las Tunas defeated Mayabeque twice and remained alone as runner-up of the National Baseball Series, as escort of Santiago de Cuba.

At the end of the twelfth particular sub-series, the Leñadores defeated Mayabeque 8-2 and 1-0, in seven inning games.

Of those nine runs between both duels, Yosvani towed five, including the only one in the closing game with a home run in the second chapter. The wins went to relievers Keniel Ferraz and Alberto Pablo Civil.

With this double smile, the Leñadores have a 32-24 record and are only half a game behind leader Santiago de Cuba, which lost 2-3 against national runner-up Matanzas on Thursday.

Mentor Armando Ferrer's Cocodrilos scored all three runs in the third inning with five hits and an opponent's error. First victory for Henry Moyet, who pitched a solid 4.2 innings of relief with only one hit allowed.

Industriales also counted on the lumber of its third hitter Yosvany Peñalver, who hit a home run and towed three, to overcome the stellar right-hander Erlys Casanova and win 4-2 against Pinar del Río.

In the other results, Sancti Spíritus beat Villa Clara 1-0 and Ciego de Ávila 8-4 against Guantánamo. The Camagüey-Isla de la Juventud, Artemisa-Holguín and Cienfuegos-Granma duels were suspended.