The Las Tunas Leñadores fell 3-2 to the Ciego de Ávila Tigres in their opening game of the 65th National Baseball Series, on Sunday at Julio Antonio Mella Stadium, in a pitching duel where the home team's offense could not keep pace.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- Starter Eliander Bravo took the loss after allowing three runs —two of them earned— over five innings of work. The right-hander from Las Tunas faced 21 batters, gave up five hits, issued two walks, and struck out two opponents. For the Tigres, Kevin Soto earned the win with a seven-inning outing, allowing just three hits and two earned runs while walking one and striking out three. Reliever Yunier Batista sealed the game with two perfect innings —allowing no hits or runs— to secure the save.
The decisive moment came in the second inning. With two outs on the board, Alfredo Ramos drew a walk, and Marcos Torres hit a single to right field, advancing to third. Asniel Jiménez connected for a hit to right field that drove in Ramos and put Torres on third due to an error by the outfielder. Danny López capped off the rally with a shot to left field that brought two more runs to complete the three that ultimately proved decisive.
Abeysi Pantoja’s squad came to life in the third inning. Luis Antonio Pérez Hemminges opened with a double to center field, and Yuniesky Larduert drove him in with a single to right. Yudier Rondón then hit a single to center field and Larduert scored, tightening the match 3-2. However, the momentum stalled when Yosvany Alarcón hit a scorching line drive to third base that turned into a double play.
For the home team, Rodolfo Díaz Silva came on in relief of Bravo and pitched four flawless innings: facing 14 batters (13 at-bats), allowing two hits and no runs, with zero walks and one hit-by-pitch. The relief effort kept the team's hopes alive, but the comeback never occurred.
The Las Tunas defense committed two errors; while neither resulted in runs, they complicated matters for the pitchers. Henry Quintero Chávez and Maykel Yordan Molina were responsible for the miscues. Nevertheless, a double-play combination involving Roberto Suliban Baldoquín, Luis Antonio Pérez, and Yordanys Alarcón defused at least two dangerous situations.
The second game of the series will be played this Monday at 1:30 PM at the same venue. The green-and-red squad will seek its first win against a Tigers team that gained confidence after securing the opening game on the road.
