Granma Wins U-23 Baseball Tournament

Havana, July 16 (RHC) - Alazanes de Granma defeated Leones de La Habana 5-0 and won the U-23 National Baseball Series crown today in the final played at the Estadio Latinoamericano.

Right-hander Alexei Ricardo pitched a masterpiece, throwing a complete game with 11 strikeouts and allowing just two hits, both in the seventh inning.

Third baseman René Cabrera stood out at bat for the Alazanes, going 4-2 with one RBI. Outfielder Jonathan Ortiz contributed to the win with a solo home run.

After winning in their respective zones, Granma and Havana entered a three-game final playoff. The easterners got off to a successful start with a narrow 1-0 victory, but on Tuesday the capital city team forced a tie with a score of 6-1.

This was the first title for a Granma team in the history of the national series for players under 23, tying Havana, which won in 2015.

Source: JIT