Matanzas, January 29 (PL) - The elimination of the home run derby is one of the main attractions today of the second day of the Cuban baseball All-Star Series, organized in this western Cuban city.

The round that will define the finalists in the quadrangular show will take place between the games of the tournament inaugurated this Sunday.

The organizers announced that each of the four teams in the tournament will be able to present three batters in the derby, whose final will be tomorrow.

Four hours earlier, the Cuban All-Star team will seek to maintain its unbeaten record against Venezuela (0-1), while the day will be completed with the match between Matanzas (1-0) and Mexico (0-1).

The Series began with victories of the team made up of the best players of the recently concluded Cuban winter league and Matanzas, champion of that same competition.

The stellar team led by Yulieski González, former national team pitcher and mentor of Artemisa, silver medalist in the Cuban league, knocked out the Mexican team 10-0 with a complete work of pitcher Yosiel Serrano (3H, 3K).

Serrano, leader in effectiveness in the last baseball championship of the island (1.69) received offensive support from Dennis Peña and Rafael Viñales, who both hit home runs.

At night, the Cocodrilos of the experienced strategist Armando Ferrer defeated the Venezuelan team by 9-4 with Yordanis Samón leading the bat with a couple of hits, among them, a run batted in, and four runs batted in.

Young pitcher Eriel Carrillo covered the entire route, in spite of Carlos Arroyo's home run.

The All-Star Series will conclude on Thursday with the definition of the medals and the presentation of awards to the individual leaders of the Cuban winter league.