The Vegueros de Pinar del Río left the Leones de Industriales lying on the field to win 4×3 in the first duel of the semi-final play off in the 63rd National Baseball Series.

The game held at the Capitán San Luis stadium in Pinar del Río had reached the seventh inning tied (2×2), when the Blue Jays took a minimal lead thanks to Roberto Álvarez’s solo home run off left-handed reliever Randy Martínez, a rookie who had retired 14 batters in a row up to that point.

The mentor Alexander Urquiola did not shake his hand and brought in left-hander Raudel Lazo, who got the last out of the inning and immaculately sealed the rest of the game by retiring six opponents, two by way of strikeouts.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Vegueros, who left 12 runners on, tied the game with three hits on an intentional walk to slugger William Saavedra, all against the batting of first baseman Rafael Perdomo.

Carmona, manager of the Leones, didn’t think twice and brought right-hander Carlos Manuel Cuesta to the mound, who hit the first and only pitch to the emerging Yasiel Agete to force the winning run for the home team.

Between them, the three home pitchers struck out nine times for the Leones. The two teams will play the second game on Thursday.

On the same day, the other semi-final will be played at the Mártires de Barbados stadium in Bayamo. There, Granma will receive a visit from the reigning champions Las Tunas, whom they comfortably beat in the qualifying round (4-1).