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Villa Clara, Cuban Baseball Champions
A
grand slam by catcher Ariel Pestano sealed the
victory for Villa Clara over Matanzas in Cuba’s 52nd
Baseball Series championship final, to win the
team’s fifth title in its history.
The
team from a central Cuban province took top honors
in 1983, 1993, 1994 and 1995, as well.
Pestano, who had not batted much during the
playoffs, hit a homerun off a pitch from Matanzas’
second reliever Maikel Martínez, adding 4 runs, to
bring the score to 7-2, in the 6th inning.
Just
moments before, designated hitter Danel Castro had
broken a 2-2 tie with a hit to left field off of
Félix Fuentes who had relieved opener Joel Suárez.
Matanzas came back with three runs in the eighth
inning, facing right-hander
Jonder Martínez, The Villa Clara coaching staff had
entrusted the closing of the game to Martínez and he
did the job, finishing with eight hits and three
clean runs, in four and two thirds innings.
Andy
Sarduy topped off the winning score with another
homerun in the bottom of the eighth.
Matanzas opened the scoring in the first inning with
a homerun by designated hitter Ariel Sánchez off of
left-handed opener Misael Siverio, who was forced to
leave the mound in the fifth, with the game tied
2-2, having managed one out and given up seven hits
by Matanzas.
Ultimately, Villa Clara won the championship series
in five games, with four victories (4-0, 8-1, 4-1,
and 8-5), and one loss (1-4) against Matanzas.
(PL)
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