THE LEONES of Industriales won today the doubleheader against the host team, Leñadores de Las Tunas, and remained as the only undefeated team in the recently inaugurated II Elite League of Cuban Baseball (LEBC).

In the rain-shortened game of the previous day, the blue team of the capital won 9×5 with a total of 18 hits, including six doubles and a triple.

Between Ariel Hechavarría, Yasiel Santoya, and Jorge Enrique Alomá, half of the team’s hits were shared equally, while Luis Vicente Mateo, Yosvani Peñalver, and Richel López each drove in two runs.

The win went to the resume of pitcher Pavel Hernández (5.1 IP, 2CL, 7H, 4K, 2BB), while Yadián Martínez suffered the setback.

In the second hour, the Leones repeated their success with a 9×2 score, secured the sub-series, agreed to four games in each round, and threatened to sweep their victimizers in the play-off for the title of the last national series.

Oscar Valdés (3-2, 2CI) and Yoasnier Pérez (2-2, including a home run) led Industriales’ offense. Starting pitcher Reemberto Grave de Peralta (5.0 IP, 2CL, 3H, 5K, 3BB) beat Branlis Rodríguez.

Santiago de Cuba achieved its first win in the tournament by beating Matanzas 5×3, a 162nd-lifetime success for Athens 2004 Olympic champion Danny Betancourt (6.0 IP, 6H, 2K, 1BB). The save for Carlos Santana, who got the last out in the middle of a Crocodile rebellion in the ninth inning.

In the other game on Thursday, Sancti Spíritus beat Artemisa 9×5 with veteran Fréderich Cepeda (4-2) pushing in three runs and Yankiel Mauris scoring his second game-saving run, key contributions in the win by Albert Valladares (5.2 IP, 4CL, 6H, 3K and 1BB).

The Cuban Winter League concludes this Friday the first sub-series of a 40-game schedule to decide the semifinalists.