Industriales preserved the lead of the IV Cuban Baseball Elite League by defeating the Holguín Cachorros 5-4 today at the Calixto García Stadium, completing a four-game sweep.

The Lions struck first in the third inning with a combination of a walk, a double by Ariel Hechavarría, and a single by Taylon Sánchez, but the Cachorros immediately responded with an offensive spark from Leonardo Montero to take momentary control of the game.

The capital city’s reaction came in the sixth inning off the bat of Yaser Julio González, who connected for his seventh home run of the season (league leader) to put Industriales ahead again, although Michael Gorguet tied the game with another round-tripper.

The decisive blow came in the eighth inning, when Yasiel Santoya hit a two-run double off Juan Danilo Pérez, tipping the scales in the blue team’s favor.

Fernando Betanzo earned the win in relief, and Yunier Batista secured the save without allowing any baserunners in the final stretch of the game.

At the Latinoamericano Stadium, Artemisa experienced a split-faced day and ended up sweeping Matanzas with 8-5 and 9-8 victories in the doubleheader that had been suspended by rain on previous days.

In the first game, Anthony Sánchez came off the bench to hit a grand slam in the eighth inning, while José Antonio Jiménez contributed a double, a home run, and three RBIs in a 10-hit offense that backed up Omar David Pérez’s relief work.

In the second game, scheduled for seven innings, Jiménez struck again with another homer and three more RBIs, and although Erly Casanova allowed 14 hits and eight runs, Artemisa kept the winning pace with a 9-8 victory.

Matanzas, in contrast, suffered their seventh consecutive loss and finished the day increasingly compromised in the lower part of the standings.

In San José de Las Lajas, Mayabeque closed the day with a 7-3 win over Las Tunas in a game shortened to five innings.

Alexander Pozo had a productive afternoon with a single, a double, and three RBIs, Yoasán Guillén added two RBIs, and Luis Miguel Vázquez pitched a complete game to earn the win.

After these results, Industriales leads with a 9-3 record, followed by Artemisa at 7-4, Las Tunas at 6-6, Holguín at 5-7, Matanzas at 4-7, and Mayabeque at 4-8.