Photo: Roberto Morejón.

By Orlando González Cruz.

Matanzas, January 18 (RHC) -- The Cazadores de Artemisa defeated this Wednesday (6-3) the Cocodrilos de Matanzas, to tie the final play-off of the II Elite League of Cuban baseball at one victory per side.

Pitcher Raymond Figueredo had an excellent performance for the goddess, and pitched five immaculate innings at the Yumurino Victoria de Girón stadium. 

Offensively, his teammates gave him a five-run lead in the first half of the game, but in the sixth inning, the Cocodrilos rose up and scored three runs. In the inning, a double by outfielder Ariel Sanchez brought two teammates to the plate, and Yordanis Samon's single. Incidentally, Sanchez's two-run homer put him just three hits shy of the 2000 mark in the national series.

To Figueredo's rescue, Osdanis Rodríguez came to the mound and could not do himself justice. In view of this situation, the Artemio mentor Yulieski González brought in the star player Liván Moinelo, who continues to be "untreatable" in the postseason and was in charge of controlling the locals' revolt and not allowing them any liberties in the rest of the challenge. 

Moinelo threw 54 balls to the plate, faced 14 batters, allowed no runs and struck out five.

The artemiseños' offense was well distributed, and only Frederic Cepeda could not hit a hit in the game. 

Today will be a transfer day to the 26 de Julio stadium in Artemisa. The Cazadores headquarters will host games three, four and five of the final, agreed to the best of seven games.