Yusmel with a victorious return. Photo: Archive

Yusmel’s triumphant return and secure victory for the Cubs

Right-hander Yusmel Velázquez celebrated his return to the Holguin Cubs with a win. On Thursday, they defeated the Industriales Lions 8-2, taking a 2-1 lead in the thirteenth game of the 66th National Baseball Series.

For Yusmel (1-0), who had been away from high-level competition for several months. This can be considered a quality start, allowing two runs (only one earned) in five innings. He gave up seven singles, struck out two, walked two, and hit one batter.

José Miguel Rodríguez was once again effective, pitching four scoreless innings. Allowing two singles, striking out six, and issuing no walks. He earned his third save of the series.

In this series, José Miguel has been dominant against the capital city team, allowing no runs in eight innings, with only five singles, nine strikeouts, and just one walk. This performance earned him a win and a save.

Incidentally, when Vargas left the mound in the second inning with no outs, he left the bases loaded and the game with a 1-0 deficit. Left-hander Jordan William then came in to pitch, and after recording one out. He surrendered a home run to Ernesto Torres, his fourth of the season, which ultimately decided the game.

For Saturday’s game, Holguin will be without Cedeño and their regular shortstop, Luis Raúl Domínguez. In the fourth inning, Domínguez hit a single to left field, reaching second base standing up. In a controversial decision, first baseman Lorien Lobaina, on a second appeal after a protest from manager Guillermo Carmona, called him out, supposedly for not touching first base. Although the replay from www.playcubano.com showed otherwise.

In the game, each team collected nine hits and committed two errors. For the winners, in addition to Torres (3-for-5, HR and 4 RBIs), Jorlis Bravo (2-for-3) stood out at the plate. While for the losing side, Ariel Sánchez went 3-for-5, and Yaser Julio González and Yasiel Santoya each went 2-for-4, the latter with an RBI.

The standings continue to be led by Las Tunas (37-21), followed by Matanzas (39-24, 0.5 games back), Holguin (38-24, 1.0 games back), Industriales (36-24, 2.0 games back), Mayabeque (35-25, 3.0 games back), Cienfuegos (34-25, 3.5 games back), Artemisa (33-27, 5.0 games back), and Sancti Spiritus (34-29, 5.5 games back).
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