Game One
In the opening game on Wednesday-evening at Estadio José Ramón Cepero, Granma was outhit 10-5 by Ciego de Ávila and had recorded only one basehit in the first seven innings, while trailing 3-0.
But in the eighth inning, Granma came alongside and went on to win 4-3 in ten innings.
Both teams have some players on their rosters, who are familiar in international baseball.
Amongst the players of Ciego de Ávila are rightfielder Yoelvis Fiss Morales, first baseman Yorelvis Charles Martínez and shortstop Yorbis Borroto Jauregui, three veterans, who respectively are 38, 39 and 31 years old.
On the Granma-roster are catcher Frank Morejon Reyes and outfielder Alfredo Despaigne Rodriguez, who are both 30 years old.
All these players participated in multiple international events with the Cuban National Team, including the Olympic Games, World Championship, World Baseball Classic and Intercontinental Cup, but also the Haarlem Baseball Week and World Port Tournament in the Netherlands.
...Osvaldo Vázquez as baserunner for Cuba during the...
...2015 World Port Tournament in Rotterdam (Neth.)...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Ciego de Ávila scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning off of starter Yoelkis Cruz.
With one out, four consecutive basehits were recorded.
First, Osvaldo Vázquez homered to open the score.
Hereafter, Donald Duarte singled, stole second base and advanced to third base when a throwing error followed, then scored on a single by Yorelvis Charles.
Next batter Yorbis Borroto also singled to put runners on first and third base.
The latter was forced out on a grounder by Raul Gonzalez, but in the meantime, Charles scored the third run.
Without recording basehits, Granma left a runner on third base in the third inning, then stranded runners on second and third base in the fourth at bat.
Ciego de Ávila got a chance to add more runs in the fourth and seventh inning, but failed to do so.
In the fourth, Osvaldo Vázquez and Donald Duarte both singled and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Yorelvis Charles.
The bases got loaded when Yorbis Borroto was hit by a pitch, but hereafter, Raul Gonzalez grounded into a double play to end the at bat.
In the seventh, Borroto was on second base with one out, but stranded again.
In the meantime, Ciego de Ávila-starter Vladimir Garcia threw a great game.
In seven innings, the righthander struckout six batters and gave up only one basehit.
However, Granma then started to turn the game its way from the eighth inning on.
Osvaldo Abreu then led off with a walk, then scored Granma's first run on an one-out double by Yordan Manduley.
Hereafter, Manager Roger Machado brought in new pitcher Raidel Martinez.
He walked Yunior Paumier, but then struckout powerhitter Alfredo Despaigne.
The bases then got loaded when next batter Dennis Laza singled.
A following single by Carlos Benítez brought in two runners and tied the score at 3-3.
Martinez closed the inning with a strikeout, but it had become a new ballgame.
...Alfredo Despaigne playing for Cuba...
...during the 2012 Haarlem Baseball...
...Week in the Netherlands...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Ciego de Ávila appeared to re-take the lead again immediately.
35-year old Edilse Silva la O led off with a double, which led to a pitching change.
Miguel Lahera became the third pitcher for Granma and saw Yoelvis Fiss groundout.
Hereafter, Lahera walked Osvaldo Vázquez intentionally to set up a force play.
That worked, as a flyout and force out ended the inning.
In the ninth inning, both teams were retired in order and so, the game went into extra innings.
In the top of the 10th inning, Granma struck with two outs when Alfred Despaigne homered.
In his previous at bats, Despaigne had struckout twice.
With his homerun, the veteran player again underscored his value for his team.
Despaigne was the league's Most Valuable Player in 2009, 2010 and 2012.
The outfielder/designated hitter is generally known as one of the best players worldwide.
He plays for Chiba Lotte Marines in the professional Japanese league since July 2014.
With the Cuban National Team, Despaigne won the Silver Medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing (China), then won the Gold Medal with Cuba at the Intercontinental Cup in Taiwan.
In 2007, he was the Best Hitter of the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam (Netherlands).
After Despaigne's homerun, Dennis Laza and Carlos Benítez both walked, which led to a pitching change.
A strikeout then ended the at bat, but Granma now had the lead.
In the bottom of the 10th, Miguel Lahera gave up a lead-off single to Julio Pablo Martínez.
However, he tried to stretch that into a double and was eliminated at second base.
A grounder and strikeout then ended the game.
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Granma wins opener Cuban Final in 10th inning
CIEGO DE ÁVILA, Ciego de Ávila (Cuba) -
Alazanes de Granma trailed 3-0 after seven innings against reigning champion Tigres de Ciego de Ávila on Wednesday-evening (January 18) in the opener of the best-of-seven Final of the Serie Nacional de Beisbol for the Cuban Championship-title.
Granma had registered only one basehit through seven innings, but then came alongside and won 4-3 in ten innings.
In the Semi-Finals en route to the Final, Granma surprised by eliminating Cocodrilos de Matanzas in seven games.
Granma had won the opener 8-3, then Matanzas won the next game, 2-1.
Granma re-took the lead in the play-off by winning the third game with a convincing 11-3 score.
But hereafter, the powerful team of Matanzas won the next two games, 9-3 and 13-3.
However, Granma forced a deciding seventh game by winning 9-6 in Game 6.
In the following match-up, Granma won big 12-2 to reach the Final.
