(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
 Las Tunas takes lead with another shutout in Cuban Quater Final
Nederlands
 CAMAGÜEY (Cuba) -
Leñadores de Las Tunas recorded its second shutout in three days, winning 7-0 against Avispas de Santiago de Cuba on Tuesday-afternoon (March 2) in Game 3 of the best-of-five Quarter Final of the 60th edition of the Cuban Serie Nacional de Béisbol.
With the win, Las Tunas now leads 2-1.
The team won 3-0 on Sunday when this series resumed.
Game 4 will be played on Thursday.
Santiago de Cuba opened the series with a 7-4 win on January 26, but thereafter, this series was put on hold.
After tests had been done, there were several positive cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the team of Santiago de Cuba.
In some reports, a total of some 20 cases was mentioned, while there also were a few cases in the team of Las Tunas.
According to the health protocols and procedures, everyone involved was put in isolated quantaine and more tests were done.
Over a week ago, it was announced that the series was to resume again last Sunday in Camagüey, where this Quarter Final will be played in its entirety at Estadio Cándido González.
Three days after completion of this series, the winner stays in Camagüey to face reigning champion Cocodrilos de Matanzas in the best-of-seven Semi-Final.
Matanzas had reached the Semi-Final by completing a 3-0 sweep on Tuesday, February 16 against Elefantes de Cienfuegos.
The winner of the Semi-Final then will meet Alazanes de Granma in the best-of-seven Championship Final.
On Saturday (February 27), Granma won 13-3 in eight innings against Vegueros de Pinar del Río to win the first Semi-Final, 4-2 and advance to the Final.
However, Granma now has to wait at least two weeks to know who it will meet in the Final.
Santiago de Cuba vs. Las Tunas
Las Tunas had two 3-run innings in this game and collected twelve basehits.
All nine starting players got at least one basehit.
Santiago de Cuba was limited to only six basehits.
Santiago de Cuba got a chance to open the score in the top of the first inning off of starter Yudier Rodríguez León.
With two outs, the team got two baserunners, but the inning ended with a strikeout.
Las Tunas then struck with three runs in the bottom of the first inning off of Carlos Font Mustelier.
Yuniesky Larduert Domínguez and Andrés Quiala Herrera began with singles.
Larduert then scored the first run when an error followed a single by next batter Danel Castro Moñagorry, while Quiala was eliminated.
Hereafter, Castro moved to third base on a flyout, then scored on a single by Rafael Viñales Alvarez.
Las Tunas again scored three runs in the third at bat.
This time, Quiala and Castro both walked and Yosvani Alarcón Tardio added a runscoring double.
When next batter Viñales also walked, a pitching change followed.
Wilber Reyna Lanchezo took over. from Font, but he saw Castro score on a sacrifice fly by Yordanis Alarcón Tardio.
Another run was added when Andrés De La Cruz Matos singled, but Viñales was eliminated trying to advance to third base.
With a runner on first base and two outs, Uber Luis Mejías Rodríguez then became the new pitcher.
He gave up an infield-hit to Denis Peña Rivero.
With runners at the corners, the at bat ended with a line out, but Las Tunas now led 6-0.
The home-team scored its seventh run in the bottom of the fifth.
With one out, Rafael Viñales Alvarez walked, moved to third base on a single by Yordanis Alarcón Tardio and scored on a single by Andrés De La Cruz Matos.
Santiago de Cuba didn't get much scoring opportunities.
The team left runners behind on second base in the third and fifth inning.
In the top of the seventh, Marcos Luis Fonseca Alcea doubled with one out, but he also stranded on second base, as two grounders followed.
In the eighth, Rudens Sánchez Celda led off for Santiago de Cuba with a double.
With one out, Adriel Labrada Marén walked.
But again, third base was not reached,
Sánchez was forced out at third base and a line drive ended the at bat.
Santiago de Cuba got one more runner in the top of the ninth.
But he was left behind on first base.
Yosbel Alarcón Tardio, the brother of the other two Alarcón's, threw the final two innings for Las Tunas.
Starter Rodríguez struckout seven batters in seven innings and gave up only four hits.
(March 2)
| 
