The Farmers team defeated the Tabacaleros team this Monday with a score of 5-4 to complete the sweep in four challenges, in one of the semifinals of the I Cuban Elite Baseball League (LEBC) and thus become a candidate for the tournament title.
The team led by Carlos Martí, and which brings together players from the provinces of Granma and Las Tunas, confirmed the forecasts that placed it as a broad favorite in this matchup.
As a visitor at the Capitán San Luis stadium in Pinar del Río he achieved an important cluster of three runs in the fifth inning, according to a report of the Cuban News Agency (ACN).
Farmers await rival for the final of the Elite League of #CubanBaseball
Centrales forced the sixth game against Portuarios, in the other semifinal, by winning with an 8×6 board. #baseball #Cuba #Sports #LEBC https://t.co/I7a4irC7be pic.twitter.com/Nd7frprziZ— JIT Cuban Sport (@jit_digital) January 10, 2023
In that inning they had four hits, including a double by Yordanys Alarcón, in addition to receiving two intentional walks and taking advantage of an error, the information added.
The Farmers’ offense had 10 singles and left as many runners on base. At the individual level, left fielder Rafael Viñales stood out, who connected for 4-3 with a trailer.
The winner from the box was left-handed Yunier Castillo, who disseminated four hits and two strikeouts in 5.2 innings of performance. In addition, there was a save for reliever Alberto Pablo Civil, after pitching the ninth inning without setbacks, in what was his postseason debut.
In the other semifinal, the cast of Centrales stayed alive by beating Portuarios 8-6 on the day, which now leads this fight with three victories in five appearances.
Visiting the Nelson Fernández park in Mayabe, those led by Armando Ferrer lost with a score of 2-3 at the beginning of the ninth inning, but then rounded off a decisive six-run cluster taking advantage of three errors by the host defense after they climbed to the mound relievers Marlon Vega and Juan Xavier Peñalver.
Los Portuarios responded in their last opportunity by stepping on the rubber three times and put the tying run into circulation, but the right-hander from Cienfuegos Hermes González managed to get the last two outs of the game.
Now the Farmers will wait in their headquarters of the Mártires de Barbados, in Bayamo, for the definition of their rival, which will come out of a duel between Port and Power Plants that will be held this Wednesday in the Victoria de Girón park, in Matanzas.
The LEBC final will also have a maximum of seven games. The team that is champion will represent Cuba in the Caribbean series based in the capital of Venezuela since next February 2.
