Mayabeque Hurricanes

Havana, February 3 (RHC/ACN)--The Mayabeque Hurricanes retook the top of the 61st Cuban National Baseball Series, after knocking out the Tigres de Ciego de Avila, the previous leader.

Seven games were played this afternoon and three of them ended with a knockout in the seventh inning, including the game between the Huracanes and the Tigres de Ciego de Avila (11-1) at the Nelson Fernandez Stadium, in San Jose de las Lajas.

The Mayabequenses scored a decisive eight-run run in the third inning, in which they hit six of their 11 hits of the game, including successive doubles by Alexander Pozo and Javier Carabeo, and back-to-back triples by Lázaro Martínez.

Pozo and Carabeo were the best in the game, going 3-2 and driving in three runs apiece. The victory went to José Ignacio Bermúdez, who allowed three hits in 5.1 innings, while the international Vladimir García had an uncertain debut, allowing six clean runs in only 2.1 innings, in which he was hit with four hits and gave three tickets.

Meanwhile, the Crocodrilos hit 13 hits and knocked out Sancti Spíritus (11-1), with precise work by Renner Rivero, who allowed just one hit in five innings. Yadil Mujica went 4-3, with a pair of two-run homers and a tow, while Aníbal Medina and Eduardo Blanco got the ball out of Victoria de Girón Park.

After these two results, Huracanes (5-1) and Cocodrilos (6-2) are evenly matched, but the Mayabequenses have a better average (833) than the Saurians (750), while the Tigers (5-2) now share third place with Santiago de Cuba, which defeated Artemisa 8-6.

In this duel, Adriel Labrada, who hit 5-2 with a pair of home runs and three runs batted in for the Avispas santiagueras, stood out. In addition, Luis Fonseca became the first reliever to reach three games saved, thus supporting the triumph of Yoandri Montero, who was hit free by allowing eight hits and four clean runs in 2.2 innings.

And other news of the day was the second consecutive victory of Isla de la Juventud against the monarch exponent Granma (3-0), which continues without producing runs.

For the Pirates, left-hander Wilber Perez won, despite being punished with eight hits in five innings, in which he gave up three tickets. But the Alazanes, who hit 12 singles, left 15 runners on the pads and committed three errors.

The third KO of the afternoon was given by Pinar del Río to Guantánamo (11-0).

In the remaining two games, Villa Clara won its fourth successive victory, this time 11-6 against the declining national bronze medalist Las Tunas, Holguín beat Industriales 10-5, and Cienfuegos defeated Camagüey (8-7).