The Leñadores of Las Tunas will be looking for the first sweep of the III Elite League of Cuban Baseball today when they take on the Industriales de la Habana at the Estadio Latinoamericano.
The green-and-red team has accumulated five consecutive wins, three of them against the Industriales, a result that has allowed them to catch up with the Tigres de Ciego de Avila at the top of the standings.
Yesterday, the team led by Abeicy Pantoja, defeated their Havana victims 6-3, a team that despite suffering three losses in a row, leads the championship offence with a 312 average and pitching, with an average of 3.51 clean runs per complete game.
In search of the «broom pass», the Easterners will depend on the pitching of Albert Valladares, who was battered in his first start, allowing seven hits and five runs in three and a third innings of work.
Pavel Hernández will take the mound for the Leones, looking to save face and stay close to the top spot.
The right-hander is having a great season, with one win, just two clean sheets allowed and only one walk in 14 innings of work.
At the Guillermón Moncada Stadium in Santiago de Cuba, the Tigres will seek to even the series with the Avispas of that province, and defend their place at the top of the league.
The day before, the indomitable Tigers won 10-2 with home runs by Euclides Pérez and Eduardo García, the latter his fifth of the contest to reach five and reaffirm their leadership in that department.
The helmsman Danny Miranda announced the left-hander Ariel Zerquera, with a pair of wins on his record, while his counterpart Eddy Cajigal will depend on Wilber Reyna, who has two defeats and has allowed seven clean sheets in 11 innings and a third.
Finally, the Alazanes de Granma will try to take advantage of their home venue at the Mártires de Barbados, to even the duel with the Vegueros de Pinar del Río, who won 7-3 on Thursday, despite the second home run by slugger Alfredo Despaigne.
The home manager, Angel Ortega, will start Alain Sanchez on the mound, who although he has two no-decisions in two appearances, has only been able to score a trio of runs in 10 appearances.
Meanwhile, the visitors’ manager, Alexander Urquiola, will use Geonel Gutiérrez, a pitcher who has also failed to open his record of wins and losses, but who has also fulfilled his task by accepting three runs in 12 appearances.
Behind Tigres and Leñadores (7-4) in the overall standings are the Leones (6-5), followed by Avispas (5-6) and Vegueros and Alazanes (4-7). (Author Boris Luis Cabrera)
