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Las Tunas and the Isle of Youth leading National
Baseball Series
BY ANNE-MARIE GARCIA—Special for
Granma International—
THE Isle of Youth swept to
victory in its three games against Holguín, setting
a 27-12 score sheet and tying with Las Tunas to lead
the National Baseball Series.
As part of Group A in the western
region, Isle of Youth is in first place, followed by
Pinar del Río with 19-19.
Las Tunas, in Group C in the
eastern region, remained at the forefront in spite
of their 5-3 loss to Cienfuegos.
Industriales, the capital’s
emblematic team, lost during two of its three games
against Ciego de Avila, and was knocked out of its
top position in the western region, although it is
still leading Group B with a 25-14 record. It is
followed by Habana, with 20-19.
In Group D of the eastern region,
Granma is in first place, with a 24-15 record,
followed by Santiago de Cuba with 21-18.
PACHECO AFFIRMS THAT SANTIAGO DE
CUBA IS TO BE RECKONED WITH
Santiago de Cuba, the defending
champion, swept to victory in its three games
against Matanzas, confirming the opinion of its
manager, Antonio Pacheco that his team “is in the
recovery stage.”
“We started the year off well.
The team has good human quality and is
well-disciplined, and the players are aware of the
responsibility they have because of what Santiago
represents for Cuban fans and the rivalry with
Industriales is adding ‘salsa’ to the series,”
Pancheco commented.
The captain of Cuba’s national
team that won seven world championships and two
Olympic titles described Santiago’s pitching line-up
– led by Olympic and world champions Danny
Betancourt and Ormari Romero – as “very good.” He
also expressed confidence in a stellar comeback for
Norje Luis Vera: “it’s a matter of time, he’s going
to be back,” his mentor confirmed.
The former star second baseman
explained that after a good start in the series, the
Santiago team’s batters “didn’t respond, and its
defense was very poor.”
Pacheco, in his second season
as Santiago’s manager, explained that he had spoken
with each of the team’s players about their
shortcomings and to give them advice, and affirmed
that Santiago is to be reckoned with, because “we’re
going to win back lost ground.”
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