Leñadores (2) vs Vegueros (0)
Pinar del Río, Jul 23 (RHC) Leñadores de Las Tunas do not want to give up the crown of the National Baseball Series (SNB) and achieved the second victory of the grand final on Tuesday, six runs to four, against Vegueros de Pinar del Río.
In a thrilling game, in which nine innings were not enough, the Leñadores went full steam ahead in their attempt to regain the title they won in the previous edition.
Those present in a packed Capitán San Luis stadium enjoyed a fabulous pitchers' duel between the starters, Yadier Zamora, for the Tuneros, and Branlis Rodríguez, for the Pinareños, who worked five and six innings respectively.
After allowing few liberties to the powerful rival artillery, neither of them left the game with a decision.
Alberto Pablo Civil and Jenier Álvarez were in charge of going down in the history books as the winners and losers, and they were in charge of the last part of the game.
The team from the eastern side of the island took the lead in the game with two runs in the fifth inning, but Vegueros equalized in that very inning thanks to a double by former major leaguer Alexei Ramírez, which unleashed euphoria in the stands of the San Luis Stadium.
The Vegueros would take the lead in the sixth, while the Tuneros came back in the seventh and were about to go up in the ninth, but a phenomenal catch by Mario Sanchez in the left field, which stifled the home run cry of Yordanis Alarcon with a catch that could be the best of the season, prolonged the actions until the tie-breaking rule.
In this instance, his brother, Yosvani Alarcón took the field with a full house and connected a long hit that cleared the pads.
The Pinareños did not give up and even had a tie and a lead on base at the end of that inning, but Civil stuck his arm in and struck out Frank González, thus conquering the second victory of his team in the final.
Tomorrow will be a transfer date, Thursday to rest, and next Friday both teams will take the field at the Julio Antonio Mella Stadium for the third game of the final.
