• Submitted by: admin
• Pinar del Río
• Sancti Spiritus
• Santiago de Cuba
• 01 / 27 / 2007

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Sigfredo Barros

Group leaders Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus and Santiago de Cuba all lost night games on Thursday, and only Ciego de Avila, which played a day game, was able to win to go four games ahead in Group C.

The pitching duel of the day took place in Villa Clara. Both the home team and Santiago de Cuba managed only three hits each and the only run of the game came in the second inning when Ariel Pestano scored on an error by Pedro Poll to give Villa Clara the win. Vladimir Hernandez (2-0) went 7.1 innings to get the win, striking out six, while Norge Vera (3-2) went eight innings without walking a batter for Santiago.

Lefthander Leovel Cardoso (3-3) of Cienfuegos scattered 8 hits in 8.2 innings, and his teammates had a three-run sixth inning, led by Jose Dariel Abreus two-run triple, to beat Pinar del Rio 3-1. Vladimir Banos (5-2) took the loss for Pinar.

The third group leader to fall Thursday was Sancti Spiritus, unable to complete a sweep of the Isla de la Juventud. Fifth batter Felix Perez drove in his teams four runs with a single driving in Michel Enriquez (1-for-3 .425 average) in the first and later with a three-run game-winning triple in the eighth inning. The final score was 4-3 with Oscar Jacomino (1-3) picking up his first win.

Group C leader Ciego de Avila reached 27 wins, backed by Yorelvis Charles who went 3-for-4 with two singles, his fourth homer of the season and three RBIs to defeat Guantanamo 5-2. Michel Pino went 7 innings allowing 2 runs and striking out 2 to improve his record to 3-2. Frank Navarro (2-3) took the loss.

Granma moved within a game of Santiago de Cuba in Group D by winning it series closer at home with Las Tunas 5-2 on a four-run first inning that included a three-run homer by Yordanis Samon against losing pitcher Dael Mejias (4-2). Yanier Gonzalez (2-2) was the winning pitcher for Granma. Las Tunas had 12 hits to Granmas 6 but couldnt put them together.

Elier Sanchez (7-1) tied Wilber Perez with a league leading seven wins going 7.1 innings and allowing one run on four hits while striking out four as Camaguey beat Holguin 3-1. Marino Luis Marquez and Alexander Ayala Garcia had three hits each for Camaguey. Outfielder Yoannis Quintana hit a solo home run for Holguin.

Source: Granma