Matanzas prevailed today in their Palace of the Cocodrilos against the Camagüey Toros and took advantage of the leader Holguín’s defeat to place themselves half a game away from the throne of the 64th National Baseball Series.

The saurians notched their fourth consecutive victory, this time with a score of 10-6, thanks to four runs in the seventh inning which gave them a sufficient lead.

José Amaury Noroña hit a single and a double to drive in four runs and lead the Yumurín attack. For the defeated side, Lisván Fajardo shone at bat, going 4-3 with a triple and a home run included.

Silvio Iturralde, in relief, pitched 2.1 innings and won his ninth challenge of the season, leading in that department, and Yosney García saved his ninth game, also to lead that category outright.

The Cachorros de Holguín, with several key absences in their ranks due to illness and hampered by the delayed arrival at the José Antonio Huelga stadium due to a breakdown of the bus transporting them, could not overcome the Gallos espirituanos and fell 2-9.

A total of 17 hits were connected by the hosts, among them a home run from the legendary Frederich Cepeda that found two bases occupied.

Rodolexis Moreno and Rey Richard Ricardo each collected three hits to contribute to the offence.

José Luis Brañas, in a starting role, won the game after pitching 5.1 innings, where he allowed the two runs from the visitors. Yankiel Mauris recorded his seventh save by covering the remainder of the route.

In Las Tunas, the visiting Cazadores de Artemisa took it to the Leñadores and did not stop until they knocked them out 14-4, a result that solidifies them in sixth place in the standings.

Within an attack of 12 hits, Dayán García stood out by going 5-3 with a home run included and five RBIs. Andy Cosme went 3-1 and drove in three runs.

Yunieski García recorded his fifth win with a five-inning effort and Anier Pérez took the loss in a failed start where he only recorded five outs and allowed five runs, one earned.

For the current national champions, now in third position, Yosvani Alarcón hit a home run.

Industriales, consolidated in fourth place in the overall standings, defeated the Santiago Avispas at the Latinoamericano with a final score of 9-1, pushing them further away from the qualification spots.

Dayron Miranda launched a grand slam and Yasiel Santoya another with two teammates on base, to support the work of Lee Andy Plumas, who pitched an immaculate five-inning route.

The Huracanes de Mayabeque defeated the Tigres de Ciego de Ávila 8-0 at the Nelson Fernández and remained firm in seventh place in the tournament.

José Ignacio Bermúdez took the credit after pitching 7.1 innings with nine strikeouts delivered, and Liomil González suffered the defeat.

Yoasán Guillén, with a single and a home run, drove two runners home and was the most outstanding with the bat in hand.

Finally, the Alazanes de Granma kept their options of advancing to the postseason alive, after defeating the Vegueros de Pinar del Río 6-0 at the 26 de Diciembre stadium in Campechuela.

César García pitched two-thirds of an inning with just one hit allowed, won his sixth game of the campaign and reaffirmed himself as the most effective pitcher with an earned run average of 1.52.

Pedro Almeida and Osvaldo Abreu each drove in two runs, the latter with a double to his name.

The National Commission for that sport reported that due to delays in transportation, the duels Cienfuegos-Villa Clara and La Isla-Guantánamo could not be held this afternoon.