At Guillermon Moncada stadium, Granma squad found the formula to contain the division leaders and deal them a blow that tightened the battle for the top spots, securing a victory built on 11 hits and four errors by the home team’s defense.
The day also saw a shift in the fortunes of Pinar del Rio Vegueros; after eight consecutive wins, they fell 7-8 to the Artemisa Cazadores. In that match, veteran closer Jose Angel Garcia extended his all-time national championship record for saves to 336—a figure that further cements his legacy in Cuban baseball.
Las Tunas also celebrated a win, defeating Camaguey 13-6, while the team of Isla Piratas beat Havana’s Industriales 5-3.
Mayabeque had to dig deep into its offense to edge past Cienfuegos 11-10.
Meanwhile, Sancti Spiritus defeated Ciego de Avila 6-4 in a game highlighted by Frederich Cepeda’s 399th home run in national tournaments, bringing him ever closer to a major milestone in his long career.
The Holguin – Guantanamo match was rained out, as so happened in the game between Matanzas and Villa Clara, with Villa Clara leading 10-1 in the third inning.
Pinar del Rio retains the lead in the West with a record of eight wins and two losses, followed by Matanzas (6-3), while Cienfuegos, Industriales, Artemisa, and Mayabeque share the next tier at 5-5; Villa Clara stands at 3-6, and La Isla brings up the rear at 2-8.
In the East, Santiago de Cuba remains at the top with a 7-3 record, though Granma, Ciego de Avila, and Sancti Spiritus are close behind at 6-4; Holguin holds a 5-4 record, Las Tunas stands at 5-5, Camaguey has 3-7, and Guantanamo goes last (1-8).
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