Huracanes and Avispas tie at the top of Cuban baseball

Havana, February 7 (ACN)-- Mayabeque's 3-0 win over Holguin and the suspension due to rain of the game between Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos, led to a tie at the top of the standings of the 61st National Baseball Series, which on Sunday closed its fourth particular sub-series with three sweeps.

Now, Huracanes and Avispas have a record of seven wins and two losses, to move half a game ahead of Ciego de Avila, their closest rival.

Visiting the Calixto García stadium, the Mayabequense team had an excellent pitching of its starter Mailon Cruz, who scored his second win of the tournament by pitching 6.0 innings with four hits and one ticket, while reliever Adrián Sosa threw three immaculate innings with one strikeout, to get the save.

On offense, the Hurricanes relied on their third hitter Dennis Laza, who hit a home run and drove in half of the runs.

Meanwhile, at its home stadium Mártires de Barbados, the monarch exponent Granma defeated Matanzas 7-3, supported by Joel Mojena's third hit of the tournament, who was able to scatter eight hits and two tickets in 6.1 innings. Kelbis Rodríguez saved the game.

For the Alazanes, the lumber palms went to newly incorporated center fielder and first baseman Roel Santos, who went 5-4, with a home run and three runs.
The loss was Yoanni Yera, who, despite giving up nine strikeouts, endured eight hits in six innings.

And Ciego de Avila passed the broom to Isla de la Juventud, after leaving the field 9-8 today at the Jose Ramon Cepero Park. The victory went to fifth reliever Yosvani Ávalos, despite allowing two hits and a pair of clean runs in one episode.

Yolbis Borroto was the most productive for the winners, going 5-2 with two RBIs, while the Pirates left 12 runners on the pads. The Tigres now have a 7-3 record and are half a run behind the leaders.

In the other results, Sancti Spíritus swept Industriales (6-1) and Camagüey beat Pinar del Río (11-1), Villa Clara defeated Guantánamo 15-6 and Artemisa beat Las Tunas 2-1