Matanzas Crocodiles

Havana, February 25 (RHC/ACN)-- With a two-hit shutout, Matanzas beat Industriales 5-0 and remained at the top of the 61st National Baseball Series, which dropped the curtains of its ninth particular sub-series.

Renner Rivero, the starter and winner for the Cocodrilos, mixed speed with breaking pitches and pitched six innings in which he gave out an equal number of tickets. But he struck out 10 and allowed just four singles to earn his fourth win without defeat this season.

And Carlos Álvarez earned his first save, pitching three innings with an equal number of strikeouts and a single. Ariel Sanchez, who went 4-3 with a double and a tow, was the outstanding hitter for the Saurios.

Thus, the Crocodiles maintained the first place with 16 wins and six losses, and have a 1.5-game advantage over Santiago de Cuba (15-8), their closest rival, which today won 12-7 against Sancti Spíritus.

The Avispas produced an important cluster of six runs in the first inning, valid for a smooth victory at the José Antonio Huelga stadium, supported by four hits, three tickets and two rival marfiladas.

For the santiagueros (15-8), the lumber palms went to Rudens Sánchez, who hit 2-2, with a double and four RBIs, while Marcos Fonseca, used today as a torpedo, went 5-3 with a tow, which gives a break to the mentor Eriberto Rosales.

Second reliever Jorge Sánchez won and Adrián Pérez lost, who, in spite of not being able to take a hit, could not get an out in the opening inning after giving out two tickets and throwing a wild pitch.

And Mayabeque (14-8) kept third place by beating Isla de la Juventud 6-1 at the Cristóbal Labra stadium in Nueva Gerona.

Yulian Quintana got his third hit of the tournament, as he scattered eight hits in 8.0 innings, but struck out eight and gave up just two bases. Young Marlon Vega closed well for the Hurricanes, striking out one in a two-thirds performance.

In another result, Villa Clara swept Pinar del Río 14-1 for its fifth consecutive victory, a game in which its third bat Yurién Vizcaíno hit his seventh home run of the tournament. In addition, Ciego de Avila beat Guantanamo 5-1, with the fourth win without defeat for right-hander Dachel Duquesne, who threw all nine innings.

Las Tunas also knocked out Holguín 11-1, Camagüey won the sub-series against the champion Granma (6-1) and Artemisa overcame Cienfuegos 7-4.