The Ciego de Avila Tigres defeated the Santiago de Cuba Avispas in five innings in the second game of the sub-series between the two teams in the III Elite League of Cuban Baseball, a result that catapulted the central team to the lead of the tournament.

Led by Danny Miranda, the Avileños scored three runs in the first inning, forcing the early exit of Santiago starter Alberto Bisset, who allowed three hits and two walks.

A six-run second inning, including a grand slam by Fernando de la Paz, practically defined the game at the Guillermón Moncada stadium.

Relievers Jesús Quintan, Pedro Portuondo, Isdenis Núñez, Yoandro Daudinot and Joel Tejeda were unsuccessful for Santiago de Cuba, as the Tigers scored in all the chapters.

Kevin Soto, the Avileño starter, pitched the complete game for his second win of the season, allowing four hits, including home runs by Eduardo García (his fourth) and Euclides Pérez (his second), which produced the two Santiago runs in the fourth inning.

I relied on control, that was the key, Soto declared; on the home runs, he acknowledged that he tried to place the ball on the outside corner, but those pitches stayed in the middle.

The top hitter for Ciego de Avila was Ronaldo Castillo, who went 5-5, with five hits, a double, a home run and five RBIs.

This year I prepared better, I knew I had more responsibility, in the last calendar I was not regular and I wanted to improve my numbers, he explained.

During the game, Frederich Cepeda hit his 2,500th hit in the National Series, two behind the all-time leader, Danel Castro.

With this result, the Tigres are in the lead of the league, with a record of seven wins and three losses, while the Avispas share fourth place with the Alazanes de Granma, both with four and six, respectively.

Tomorrow, the two teams will meet for the third consecutive time, with José Isaías Grandales, for Ciego de Ávila, and Osvaldo Acuña, for Santiago de Cuba, scheduled to start.