Baseball-Cuba

Havana, June 26 (PL) - The teams of Pinar del Río, Sancti Spíritus, Santiago de Cuba and Industriales are preparing for Thursday's start of the playoffs of the Cuban baseball championship.

The organizers confirmed for Thursday the start of the duels between the leader Vegueros de Pinar and the Gallos de Sancti Spíritus and Leones de Industriales against Avispas de Santiago de Cuba, in the classic of classics of Cuban baseball.

The following days will see the start of the duels between Las Tunas-Ciego de Avila and Granma-Matanzas.

Pinar del Río, the only one with 50 hits in the regular phase and favorite to win, will face Sancti Spíritus, ranked eighth in the standings, for the seventh time in the postseason.

Meanwhile, the duel between Leones and Avispas, ranked fourth and fifth in the standings, is unprecedented in the quarterfinals and experts believe it should be very even.

They have played 32 games between them in the post-season, with Industriales (17-15) holding an almost minimal advantage since the 1985-1986 series.

The two teams met last year in the semifinal phase, the only time they have met in that stage, with Industriales winning 4-3.