Cuban Baseball Final: Scene VI, Take II

بقلم: Ed Newman
2022-06-28 08:33:55

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Matanzas and Granma.

Bayamo, June 28 (PL) - After the storm came the calm and increased the probabilities of resuming today the sixth game of the Cuban baseball final, with the spotlight on the protagonists of the sports saga: Matanzas and Granma.

With no prior notice and the sun on the horizon, the rain made headlines the day before and added drama to a discussion for the crown that seemed not to need more condiments for its full enjoyment.

The duel was sealed in the bottom of the third episode, with a minimal advantage of the Matanzas Crocodiles over the Alazanes Granmenses (1-0), who in front of their fans need to come back in the playoff to maintain their status as champions.

In fact, some believe that chance did its part, because the downpour lasted barely an hour, but it battered the surface of the Mártires de Barbados stadium and turned the afternoon into night in a matter of seconds.

It is to give more excitement to the competition, said, loudly, one of the Alazanes' supporters, who then affirmed in a less jovial tone: I don't want excuses, we have to win.

And although "whenever it rains it pours", the accelerated deterioration of weather conditions is a normal phenomenon in the current period and there is still a latent risk of stopping the game again.

This jumble of doubts forced the National Direction of the discipline to schedule the resumption for 10:00, local time, in the same park, although with a previous visit that will assess whether the conditions are ideal.

A committee will inspect the baseball venue early in the morning and will give the go-ahead before the transfer of the players, explained the tournament's technical director, Carlos Martin, in an exclusive interview with Prensa Latina.

Martin went a little further and mentioned that if the seventh game were to be played this Tuesday and if necessary, it would take place tomorrow afternoon, as reflected in the official calendar of the postseason.

However, that last and decisive game remains in the realm of speculation, since Matanzas dominates the series 3-2 and is one win away from being crowned, although Granma plans to reverse the scenario and defeat its opponent in the final for the second consecutive year.

So far, the mentor of the Cocodrilos, Armando Ferrer, plans to keep his same pitcher Dariel Góngora, while Carlos Martí, of the Alazanes, informed that he will not repeat starter Joel Mojena and will rely on the skills of Yunier Castillo.

None of the managers announced changes in the offensive and defensive lineups, so it is worthwhile to recall some significant passages of the clash.

The teams threatened early -in the very first inning-, but the pitchers "stuck their arm in" to solve the difficulties and economize the emotions that destiny had (has) in the script.

Even so, the calm was short-lived in a facility with no room for a pin: William Luis hit a single, the pitcher Mojena missed on a hit by Andrys Perez, Yoisnel Camejo hit a driving single and the Matanzas opened the scoreboard before the silence in the stands.

Among so many scenarios, several questions remain in the air: Will the sixth game be able to take place without the rain? Will the field be ready in the morning? Will Matanzas seal its second domestic crown? Will Granma equal the "dual meet"?

All these questions will have answers soon; however, at this point, the best thing to do is to stay away from boldness, stick to a well-worn baseball axiom and wait for the "field to say the last word".



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