Nail-biting first game in the Victoria de Girón.
Matanzas started the play offs of the 62nd National Series of Baseball at full speed, winning four out of five games played against Artemisa, showing good offense and defense, in addition to high quality performances from the pitching staff, but in the semifinals they clashed with another locomotive, Las Tunas, and were defeated in the first two games at the Julio Antonio Mella Stadium.
On the evening of Monday, July 24th, the third game between the Tunas and Matanzas teams was worthy of the play offs, close until the end, with excellent performances from the pitching staff of both teams, specifically starter Angel Sanchez and reliever Rodolfo Diaz (Las Tunas), and starter Dennys Quesada and reliever Armando Dueñas (Matanzas).
The game was tied at the 9th chapter, then the real emotions began, there was everything, arbitration claims, decisive plays that changed the final result on more than one occasion and even negligence of some fans, which did not favor the development of the game. In the ninth, Las Tunas went ahead by one run, but in the bottom of the ninth, Matanzas took advantage of three errors by the lumberjacks and tied the game again.
Matanceros and Tunas needed to go to extra inning for the locals to win their first game in the semifinal, a victory that gives a boost to the Crocodiles for the next games of the play off, especially for the way they played fighting until the last moment.
In statistical terms, the victory went to Armando Dueñas while the right-hander Rodolfo Díaz had to go out through the narrow door. Matanzas had a total of 10 hits and Las Tunas eight. The decisive run was driven in by Ariel Sanchez’s single to right field for Yurisbel Gracial to step on the rubber.
With this victory, Armando Ferrer’s pupils can breathe and recover their hopes, putting the play-off 2-1 in favor of Las Tunas. This Tuesday, July 25th at 6:00 PM the players will return to the Victoria de Girón for the fourth game.
Written by Alejandro López Quintero.
