Yosvani Alarcón Tardío hit a home run to left field that not only brought in three runs in the first inning but also set the tone for an afternoon of celebration at Julio A. Mella Stadium.
Las Tunas, Cuba.– The Las Tunas Lumberjacks showed no mercy and dispatched the Guantánamo Indians by knockout, with a score of 12-1, thus mathematically securing their qualification to the Cuban Baseball Elite League and becoming the first team to achieve this feat in three consecutive seasons.
After the first pitch, the Las Tunas offense unleashed its power. Following a single by Yudier Rondón, Alarcón (4-for-2, four RBIs) hit a three-run homer off Guantánamo starter Oriolvis Cobas. The rally didn't end there. In that same inning, Yassel Izaguirre hit a double and then scored on Luis Antonio Pérez's single, completing a devastating four-run first inning.
The second inning was a repeat of the first, but amplified. With two men on base, Yassel Izaguirre (3-2, three RBIs) ripped a fastball to launch a three-run homer to left field. Yosvani Alarcón followed with an RBI double. By the end of the bottom of the inning, the scoreboard showed a crushing 9-0, forcing Cobas out of the game after just 1.2 innings in which he allowed nine earned runs and nine hits. Reliever Damián Bello managed to stem the tide briefly, but the damage was already irreversible.
On the mound for Las Tunas, Yosmel Garcés pitched five complete innings, allowing only one earned run and four hits, dominating a Guantánamo lineup that could barely generate any serious threats. Their performance was key to preserving the commanding lead and giving the bullpen a rest.
The Indians scored their only run in the third inning with an RBI single by Yeimer Félix, but the Tuneros responded immediately. In the bottom of that same inning, Yudier Rondón (4-3) drove in a run with a double and then scored on another hit by Yosvani Alarcón. In the fourth, Maykel Molina drove in the 12th run with a single, capping the home team's offensive tally. By then, Pantoja was already making adjustments to his defense, giving minutes to players like Leonardo Joseph and Osmani Urrutia Jr., while resting his key players.
Faced with the large deficit, the Tuneros bullpen finished strong. Keniel Ferraz and Rodolfo Díaz each pitched an inning, maintaining the lead without incident. Díaz, in the seventh inning, hit a batter and allowed a single, but held firm to finish the game, triggering the mercy rule after seven complete innings.
This victory, beyond the score, signifies the consolidation of a project. Las Tunas (47-24), already with a spot among the top eight in the country, now has its ticket to the "Elite" in the bag, and is sharpening its axe for the battle to defend its title in the postseason.
