Played at the Estadio Latinoamericano with three former major leaguers in the line-up

Matanzas, with three former Major Leaguers in its lineup, pummeled Industriales 20×2 in six innings today to take a three-game lead in first place in the II Elite Cuban Baseball League.

With the addition of shortstop defender Erisbel Arruebarrena to the tournament in this game, the Crocodiles made Cuban baseball history by also fielding Rusney Castillo and Dariel Álvarez, a trio of players with experience in the American Big League.

The Matanceros scored six runs in the second inning and seven runs in the fifth and sixth inning, thus decreeing the super KO, the fifth consecutive victory in the tournament against the blue team in the same number of games.

Yurisbel Gracial, the leadoff man and third lumber, batted 5-4, including a double and a grand slam, and pushed seven men to the rubber. Eduardo Blanco also hit 5-4 with three runs and José Amaury Noroña fired his seventh round-tripper, to move within one run of leader Rafael Viñales.

Santiago de Cuba showed signs of life after defeating Las Tunas by a 12×1 knockout with a complete work of Yosiel Serrano (7.0 IP, 1CL, 8H, 4K), third in the ranking of the best pitchers of the championship in effectiveness (2.27).

Ariel Pestano Jr. hit a pair of two-run homers in three trips to the plate and drove in three runs, leading an offense that also featured Francisco Martínez (3-2, 2CI), Yordan Manduley (5-3, 2CI), Andrés de la Cruz and Robert Luis Delgado, the latter with three hits each.

In the closest duel of the day, Artemisa overcame Sancti Spíritus 5×4 in ten innings, supported by Raúl González’s home run, which scored three runs to underpin the success of reliever Israel Sánchez against the Gallos’ stopper, Yanielquis Duardo.

Matanzas (18-11) moved to the top of the standings, followed by Sancti Spíritus and Artemisa (both 15-14), Las Tunas and Industriales (14-15) and Santiago de Cuba (11-18).