Havana, November 19 (RHC)-- The National Baseball Commission today declared invalid the second game played between the Sancti Spíritus and Industriales teams during the Elite League of Cuban Baseball, due to the use of an ineligible bat.
The note issued a few hours after the conclusion of the game yesterday with a 3-2 victory for the Leones explains that with the controversial bat there was a connection that had a decisive impact on the final score.
"The management of the espirituano team made a timely claim of the fact and proceeded to remove the bat and submit it for evaluation, without stopping the game, as established by the official rules of baseball," adds the text.
As a conclusion of the investigations, the specialists ruled that the bat does not appear in the list of allowed bats for the national series and the Elite League, and that its original seal had been removed in the contact zone, but not in the handle.
The statement further argues that the implement is reinforced with a rubber grip that exceeds the established 18 inches, which alters the distance factor in connecting the ball.
"In accordance with the rules of the event, the player involved in the incident, Yoasnier Emilio Perez, is expelled from the game and will not be able to play in the game corresponding to Sunday's match," the information from the National Commission underlines.
The note confirms that the Sancti Spíritus team's claim was accepted and the decision was made to resume the game today from the moment when the ineligible implement was used, in the fifth inning with two runners in circulation and the score tied at two runs.
The organizers reiterate that the time for the resumption of the game is 1:30 p.m. local time, and half an hour after the end of the game, the game corresponding to the date will start, but in seven innings.
In the other Saturday results, Artemisa and Las Tunas paired their respective subseries with scores identical to those of the first day.
The Cazadores gave back the 1-0 lead to Santiago de Cuba, supported by the 296th lifetime save of José Ángel García, historical leader in that department.
For their part, Los Leñadores responded with a knockout against Matanzas (11-0), a victory for Dariel Góngora, who leads the effectiveness ranking with 17 innings without allowing runs, and an offensive outburst by Rafael Viñales, author of two home runs and five runs batted in, to assume the leadership of the tournament in both categories with three and eleven, respectively.
Industriales retained first place in the standings with a 6-3 record, followed by Sancti Spíritus (5-3), Santiago de Cuba (5-5), Matanzas (4-5), while Artemisa and Las Tunas (4-6) close the standings. (Source: Prensa Latina)
