The Matanzas “Cocodrilos” continued their unstoppable streak in the IV Cuban Elite Baseball League by defeating the Mayabeque “Huracanes” 12-5 today at the Victoria de Girón Stadium, maintaining a perfect 3-0 record.

With this triumph, the team from Matanzas took sole possession of first place in the young campaign on a day when the Las Tunas “Leñadores” lost their undefeated status, now joined in the standings by the Artemisa “Cazadores.”

Led by debutant manager Eduardo Cárdenas, the Matanzas squad took control in the first inning with two runs and added three more in the second, courtesy of a home run by Aníbal Medina with two runners on base.

The definitive blow came in the sixth inning with a four-run rally, three of which were driven in by a bases-loaded triple from Hanyelo Videt against reliever Frank Denis Blanco. Another three runs in the seventh, including two driven in by an Eduardo Blanco triple, brought the score close to a knockout margin against opponents who were unable to fully exploit their offensive power.

Sammy Benítez, in his debut wearing the Matanzas uniform, earned the victory after pitching five innings in which he allowed two runs, driven in by back-to-back hits from Dennis Laza and Yordanis Samón. For the defeated side, Yoasán Guillén hit a home run that only served to narrow the final score, while Osniel Basulto took the loss after allowing five runs in 1.2 innings of work.

At the Julio Antonio Mella Stadium in Las Tunas, the Holguín “Cachorros” secured their first victory of the tournament by defeating the “Leñadores” 4-3. After a strong performance by Las Tunas starter Eliander Bravo over four innings, a defensive error opened the scoring gates in the fifth inning with the eventual loser, Rodolfo Soris, on the mound. One inning later, Leonardo Montero hit a two-run home run to seal the game.

Wilson Paredes pitched four scoreless innings, but the win went to Juan Danilo Pérez, who posted two zeros on the scoreboard. The red-and-green squad reacted in the final frame, scoring three times thanks to a home run by Yordanis Alarcón off a pitch from Frank Navarro, but the comeback fell short against the relief pitching of José Miguel Rodríguez.

Finally, the Artemisa “Cazadores” and the Havana “Industriales” split a doubleheader, scheduled for seven innings each, at the Latinoamericano Stadium.

In the first game, “Industriales” showcased their offensive strength and, supported by four solo home runs, defeated the visitors 4-3. Yaser Julio González led the way in the second inning, while in the fifth inning, Yoangel La O, Ariel Hechavarría, and Taylon Sánchez also homered against Erly Casanova, who completed all seven innings on the mound. The victory went to Carlos Manuel Cuesta after pitching five and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs driven in by Dayan García, who recorded both a home run and a double. The closing duties were handled by Yunier Batista, who retired the final four outs to earn the save.

In the second game, the western team prevailed with a final score of 4-0, thanks to a stellar pitching performance by Geonel Gutiérrez, who threw five shutout innings, with the save going to Israel Sánchez. Carlos Monier hit a two-run home run in the second inning, which proved sufficient to secure the victory. The loss was credited to starter Alexei Ricardo, who was unable to complete the third inning and allowed three runs, one of which was unearned.

These matchups will be repeated this Tuesday to conclude the first series of a tournament scheduled for 40 games per team in the qualifying phase.