The outlook looked bleak for the Holguin Cubs at Calixto García Stadium when, in the first inning, with one out, the Cienfuegos Elephants hit seven consecutive hits. Scoring four runs, and overwhelming the starter, as the fourth game of the 64th National Baseball Series began.
At that moment, few could have imagined that the visitors would never touch the rubber again in that game and would fall to a 15-4 knockout in seven innings of action. With which the home team reached 11 wins and remained alone in third place.
After Holguin left-hander Uberleydis Estévez left the mound, getting just one out, enduring four hits, a double and a triple among them. Allowing the same number of earned runs, José Miguel Rodríguez (1-0) came on, ultimately winning.
Moreover his start wasn’t promising, as the first three batters he faced hit him with a single. But he then dominated the next two batters. In the remainder of his 5 1/3 innings, he only managed to connect on two more singles. While striking out five, walking one, and being hit by a pitch. Ramiro Rodríguez dominated all four batters he faced, one of them by strikeout.
The Holguin team unleashed an exuberant fifteen-hit offensive led by Ernesto Torres (4-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI). Yasiel González and Michael Gorgüet (4-3, 2 RBI), and Lázaro Cedeño (2-1, 2B, 2 RBI). The loss went to first-string reliever Raikol Suárez (1-1).
On the same day, the Santiago de Cuba Wasps defeated the Villa Clara Leopards 9-8 at their Guillermón Moncada home field to earn their 14th win in 16 starts. Also nine of them consecutive, and maintain their lead in the tournament. Yoel Yanki hit his seventh home run to tie the lead.
At Victoria de Girón Stadium, the Matanzas Crocodiles defeated the Pinar del Rio Vegueros in the 11th inning, with the score at 2-1, to remain within one game of the lead.
The Guantanamo Indians, visiting the July 26th Stadium, challenged the Artemisa Hunters 3-1. Knocking them down to sixth place in the standings.
Finally, the Camagüey Bulls, entrenched in their home stadium at the Cándido González Stadium. Defeated the Mayabeque Hurricanes 13-3 and remained in the top spot.
The Isla de la Juventud-Sancti Spiritus and Industriales-Granma matches were canceled due to transportation delays. The Las Tunas-Ciego de Avila match was canceled due to accommodation issues.
After these results, the top of the standings are as follows: Santiago de Cuba (14-2); Matanzas (13-3, one game). Holguin (11-5, 3.0); Las Tunas (10-5, 3.5). Industriales (9-5, 4.0); Artemisa (8-5, 4.5), Sancti Spiritus (9-6, 4.5), and Camagüey (9-7, 5.0). Cienfuegos (4-10) is in 13th place.
This Wednesday, starting at 2:00 p.m., the second game of this fourth subseries will take place.
Translated by Aliani Rojas Fernandez
- Cubs Win and Take Third Seed in the National Series - 24 de September de 2025
- Fernando de Dios’ team eliminated from the Eastern Zone of Baseball - 23 de September de 2025
- Cubs will try to get back to winning ways by hosting Elephants - 23 de September de 2025