Vegueros and Avispas, Leaders of the 65th National Series

With steady progress and their sights always set on the final phase through their game strategies, Vegueros de Pinar del Río and Avispas de Santiago de Cuba hold the top spots in the western and eastern zones, respectively, of the 65th National Baseball Series.

This Thursday, in Group A, the Pinar del Río team defeated Industriales 7-5 at their Capitán San Luis stadium, with a highlight being the fourth save of the season for international player Frank Abel Álvarez.

For the squad of seasoned manager Alfonso Urquiola, a two-run hit with the bases loaded by Jorge Yoan Rojas in the seventh inning decided the game.

In addition, the current champion and visiting Cocodrilos de Matanzas connected for 14 hits and beat Elefantes de Cienfuegos 11-1 at the Municipal stadium of Abreus, to remain in second place in the west.

Left-hander Naykel Cruz, in the starting role, earned the win by pitching six innings, with ten strikeouts, despite conceding five walks.

The remaining results of the day in the west show that Mayabeque defeated Villa Clara 2-0 and Artemisa defeated Isla de la Juventud 6-4.

Meanwhile, in the eastern zone, the Avispas indómitas defeated Guantánamo 9-6 in 11 innings, a game in which their slugger Yoelquis Guibert reached ten home runs and consolidated his lead in that category.

The Santiago team took advantage of Granma's 5-7 loss to Holguín, which produced a decisive cluster of five runs in the eighth inning to break a temporary 2-2 tie.

Yuliesky Remón and Alexquemer Sánchez hit home runs in the ninth inning, but the effort was insufficient and Granma fell to second place in the eastern league.

Las Tunas defeated Ciego de Ávila for the third consecutive game, this time 12-4, and Sancti Spíritus came from behind to defeat Camagüey 2-1.