Matanzas and Granma, a pair of old acquaintances, will star in Bayamo today in the opening chapter of the closing staging of baseball in Cuba, a drama wrapped between vendetta desires and power of a dynasty.

Bayamo, June 17 (PL) - Matanzas and Granma, a pair of old acquaintances, will star in Bayamo today in the opening chapter of the closing staging of baseball in Cuba, a drama wrapped between vendetta desires and power of a dynasty.

Although lashed by light rains in the last hours, the Mártires de Barbados stadium - in this city - seems ready to receive Cocodrilos and Alazanes, who will reedit the final match of the previous campaign, when the Saurians fell 2-4 and gave way to the third national title of their rivals.

Such a scenario increases the morbidity surrounding the "dual meet", which will bring two very successful mentors in recent years face to face: Armando Ferrer and Carlos Martí, who at 68 and 73 years of age, respectively, what they don't know, they can imagine in terms of balls and strikes.

Some cursory details support the above criterion: Ferrer reached his third consecutive crown discussion, with a title in 2020, while Marti pursues his fourth award since 2017, without forgetting that both came to lead the absolute selection of the island in foreign competitions. A duel whose historical touches give more life to the atmosphere, because for the fourth time the same contenders of the previous lid repeat: Santiago de Cuba-Pinar del Río (39-40 seasons), Industriales-Villa Clara (42-43) and Industriales-Santiago (45-46), always being the so-called "big teams" of the Caribbean nation.

According to Prensa Latina, the visiting Ferrer will rely on the skills of right-handed pitcher Renner Rivero, a man with playoff experience and who will have the mission of opening the first game due to the unavailability of left-handers Dariel Góngora and Yamichel Pérez.

Unofficially, the Crocodiles will have a batting order with Yadil Mujica (2B), Jefferson Delgado (3B), Ariel Sánchez (LF), Erisbel Arruebarena (SS), Yadil Drake (RF), Yariel Duque (1B), Javier Camero (BD), Roberto Loredo (R) and Yoisnel Camejo (CF).

Martí, meanwhile, will place on the mound his ace César García and a line up based on Yosvani Millán (2B), Osvaldo Abreu (3B), Guillermo Avilés (1B), Carlos Benítez (BD), Iván Prieto (R), Alexquemer Sánchez (RF), Pedro Almeida (LF), Yulián MilIán (SS) and Darién Palma (CF).

The 61st National Baseball Series began on January 23 with the competition of 16 teams in a regular phase of 75 games and eight tickets to the quarterfinals.