Leñadores and Toros win first in baseball playoffs
Havana, July 9 (RHC)-- Las Tunas and Camagüey, leader and seventh place in the regular phase, respectively, debuted with victories in the quarterfinals of the 62nd National Baseball Series.
At their home stadium Julio Antonio Mella Stadium, the Leñadores Tuneros, led by debutant mentor Abeysi Pantoja, defeated the Tigres Avileños 5x1, despite leaving 12 runners on the pads, as they hit 11 hits and the opposing pitchers gave them six bases on balls.
For the winners, the middle infielder Manuel Ávila, 4-2 with a tow, was the best player. Also hitting 4-2 for the winners were the bullpen's Roberto Baldoquín and the outfielder Dailier Peña.
This was the seventh win of the season for right-hander Alejandro Meneses, who in six solid innings allowed just three hits and struck out two. Rodolfo Díaz, who pitched the last three innings with a single, earned his fourth save of the season. The Avila run came on Osvaldo Vázquez's 16th home run of the season.
Meanwhile, visiting the Guillermón Moncada Park, the Agramontinos Toros hit a whopping 16 hits and defeated Santiago de Cuba 13x6 with the eighth hit by left-hander Dariel Góngora, despite allowing 11 singles and granting three free passes in 6.1 innings.
The Camagüeyana troop showed offensive unproductivity, leaving 11 men in circulation. They did not know how to take advantage of the seven bases allowed among the eight opposing pitchers.
For the Toros, Yordanis Samón batted 4-3 with one run batted in. Luis González hit 5-3, including a double and two fly balls to the plate.
In the losing cause, Santiago starter Osday Silva hit his 19th home run and reached 82 towers in the tournament, leader in both departments.
These teams will play their second game today, when the two remaining matches of these quarterfinals will start with Artemisa-Matanzas and Sancti Spíritus-Industriales, in the field of the former.
In the regular phase, the Cazadores Artemiseños defeated the Cocodrilos Yumurinos 3-2, while the Gallos beat the Leones capitalinos 4-1 in their respective sub-series.
