By Matthew Tallarini
World Baseball Network
Jan. 18, 2023
Agricultores cut Portuarios’ series lead to 2-1 in the Cuban Elite League final Tuesday with a back-and-forth 14-9 win in game three.
Agricultores’ Yosvani Alarcon drove a single to center field scoring Yordanys Alarcon for the first run of the game in the first. The next batter, Rafael Alvarez, drove the ball over the left field wall for a two-run home run, scoring Yosvani Alarcon to make the score 3-0.
In the bottom of the first inning, Portuarios’ Lazaro Martinez hit a solo home run to go on the board at 3-1.
Portuarios’ six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning drew them back in the game. Yasiel Santoya lifted a two-run home run over the left field wall to tie the game up at three, scoring Oscar Valdes. A few batters later, Agricultores had to go to their bullpen early, as Angel Sanchez just went 3.1 innings pitched, allowing four earned runs, five hits, striking out four, and walking one batter during his start.
Relief pitcher Yasel Labrada walked the only two batters he faced out of the bullpen, and relief pitcher Miguel Paradelo entered the game in a jam with runners on first and second with two outs. Rangel Pozo ripped an inside-the-park home run, scoring Lazaro Martinez and Rangel Ramos to take a 7-3 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Yordanys Alarcon drove a solo homer over the left wall to make it a 7-4 game. Cruz left the game a few batters after and was responsible for Yosvani Alarcon’s triple, having pitched four innings, allowing eight hits, five earned runs, striking out three batters, and walking three. Rafael Vinales’ sacrifice fly to right field scored Yosvani Alarcon to make the score 7-5.
Down 8-5 in the top of the sixth, Agricultores’ Yordanys Alarcon drove a single to center field scoring Osvaldo Abreu to make it 8-6. Yosvani Alarcon roped a singled to center field scoring Yordanys Alarcon to make it 8-7. A few batters later, Andres De La Cruz doubled to left field scoring Yordanys Alarcon to tie the game up at eight.
In the top of the seventh, Agricultores’ Osvaldo Abreu’s sacrifice fly to left field scored Alexquemer Sanchez for a 9-8 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Portuarios’ Roberto Acevedo drove a home run to center field to tie the game up at nine.
In the top of the eighth inning, Agricultores’ Guillermo Aviles drove a homer over the right field wall, scoring Vinales to take a 11-9 lead. Agricultores added three more runs in the ninth inning as Yosvani Alarcon drove a three run home run over the left field wall scoring Yordanys Alarcon and Yuniesky Dominguez to take a 14-9 lead.
Agricultores held on to win the game 14-9. Game four is Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at Estadio Nelson Fernandez.