In a big way, as the established ones do, Harol Vázquez decided the first game of the play off of the Cuban baseball classic. The young man from Santiago assumed the responsibility of fifth wood, and arrived in the ninth, with a man in circulation, and sent it flying to the right Leodan Reyes, to decree the victory of the Wasps, with Industriales lying on the field.
That was the final scene of a very disputed game, as this match is predicted to be, not only because of the rivalry, but because the potential is very equal between both teams. The dispute set up the duel between the best starters of each side: the indomitable Danny Betancourt and the capital’s Andy Vargas, who did well, but left without a decision. It must be said that both had two good reliefs: Osvaldo Acuña, who ended up winning, and the supersonic Reyes.
The Lions had started behind by one, but they tied and went ahead, with home runs from Ariel Hechevarría and Yasmani Tomás, but the hosts achieved the tie, to give the responsibility to Acuña, and Vázquez, to hit the most important hit of their life, in its graduation onto a euphoric and demanding stage.
The ball is not alone or finished, the entire Cuba accompanies it and lifts it. This is what we saw in Pinar del Río and in Santiago de Cuba, with a full house, on the first day of the playoffs of the 63rd National Series, whose outcome is close to the predictions we commented on the day before.
Yes, in Vueltabajo, as it has been all season, the Pinar del Río team packed the green home of Captain San Luis, the stage where Branlys Rodríguez did it again. He climbed onto the mound, with skill, poise and control of his pitching commands. In six and two-thirds innings he struck out six and gave away two walks, scattered a sextet of hits, and kept the team from Sancti Spiritus from stepping on home plate. His teammates did not let him put a foot on the rubber either.
William Saavedra, the Cuban playoff player, dressed in his legendary postseason suit: he got two hits in four at-bats, including a home run, and drove in five of his team’s eight runs.
Today, these teams return to their second matches, and the Matanzas team will make its debut in Granma against the fearsome cavalry, while the Tigres from Ciego de Avila will play in the forest of the Leñadores from Tuneros.
#Cuba
