Game 1: Unbeatable Warriors
There is simply no one who can stop them: Los Leñadores de Las Tunas achieved their fourth consecutive victory in Games 1 of the Final.
I don't think it was necessary to follow this 63rd National Series of Cuban baseball in depth to know that these two realities are not debatable:
(1) The Vegueros of Pinar del Río have been the most stable team all season, so it was not a surprise to see them reach the final.
(2) It could also be said that the Vegueros are the favorites to be crowned champions this season. Who would say no?: Pinar del Río led the regular season with a 50-24 record—it was the only team to reach 50 wins. Won all five-game series in the regular season. They then exterminated Sancti Spíritus and Industriales in six games during the Quarterfinal and Semifinal series, respectively.
However, as for the discussion about who stands out as the “favorite” team for the throne, we should reflect here. You already know the reason: the Leñadores of Las Tunas are the defending champions, and they have once again shown their power.
Yes, the first sign of danger came this Sunday at the Capitán San Luis stadium, when the Leñadores beat the Vegueros 9-1 in Game 1 of the Grand Final. Eight races difference even seems like an unremarkable number for the superiority that Las Tunas exhibited against Pinar del Río. The Leñadores attacked all the key points they needed to neutralize the Vegueros:
Key 1: They devoured starter Mario Valle, who faced only seven batters. That was the first big blow for the Las Tunas offense, which tripled (15) the hits recorded by the Vegueros (5).
Key 2: They started with a three-race rally that could have been enough for success. That advantage helped left-handed starter Eliander Bravo carry out his strategic plan with less pressure.
Key 3: Pitching controlled Pinar del Río's lineup, without wear and tear on the bullpen. This was a turning point, as the Leñadores' rotation has suffered from inconsistencies.
Key 4: The defense limited the Vegueros' hitting probabilities, preventing them from getting more times at bat with runners on base.
Key 5: The attack did not stop until the shot came! The Leñadores reached the seventh inning with a 4-1 lead, while Pinar del Río left four runners on base between the sixth and seventh innings. Then came Yudier Rondón's double that made the score 6-1 in the top of the eighth.
While the duo of left-handed (starter) Eliander Bravo and right-handed (reliever) Rodolfo Díaz left the Vegueros with five single hits throughout the game, the Leñadores managed to emerge again and again as the unbeatable warriors they have been in this postseason. They scored six of the nine runs after two outs. One of the moments most criticized by the Vegueros fans at the beginning of the game was the foul fly that catcher Yasiel Agete could not field.
Agete started for Jorge Yoán Rojas (he moved to left field) in an attempt to strengthen the offense. But this time, the problem came to the defense. Agete lost the foul fly ball behind the plate in the sun's rays. After being hit by a pitch, Larduet's entry on base turned the inning around. Roberto Súlivan Baldoquín and Yosvany Alarcón singled to load the bases. And, then, Rafael Viñales hit a line drive to short. Tailon Sánchez fielded the diving ball and instantly threw to second.
Baldoquín did not return in time, and Tailon completed a double play with second baseman Rolando Martínez. At that moment, quite a few remembered Agete's mistake. Certainly, if Larduet had been out, the double play that Tailon initiated with his brilliant catch would have closed the first inning scoreless.
In any case, Valle could not avoid the debacle, and Pinar del Río had enough opportunities to recover. The Leñadores hit three RBI singles with two outs, completing the three-run rally in the first inning. Valle exploded after throwing just 18 pitches, and manager Alexander Urquiola's call to the bullpen did not bode well for a good start for the “green sox.” The first reliever was rookie left-hander Randy Román Martínez, who allowed only one run in a long 4 ⅔ innings relief. Pinar del Río's offense managed a flash of production during the bottom of the second inning when they scored the only run of the game. Jorge Yoán Rojas led off with a single, Yasiel Agete brilliantly executed a hit and run play that placed runners on first and third.
Rolando Martínez drove in Rojas, avoiding a ground ball into a double play. Although there were two outs, that seemed like a good moment for the Vegueros to wake up, but Martínez was surprised at first by left-hander Eliander Bravo. Pinar del Río had only two runners in scoring position for the rest of the game. Following that situation, Bravo dominated his next 10 opponents—ending his quality outing by retiring 13 of his last 15 opponents. When the Vegueros tried to attack, Bravo came to the fore with the effect of his slow curveball and impeccable defense that he played without errors.
After a single by leadoff Juan Carlos Arencibia, Alexei Ramírez walked. Pinar del Río placed runners on first and second with no outs in the first inning. That was a good situation to open the scoring, but Bravo struck out Saavedra, overwhelming him with his curveball. And then Yasser Julio González was the victim of a timely catch by Denis Peña deep in left field. Peña quickly threw to second and the runners couldn't even pass. The third out of the inning was a fly ball to the catcher by Tailon Sánchez, who tried to forcefully hit the first pitch.
Among the key outs that marked Bravo's successful start was his dominance against Pinar del Río's main hitters: the “2-3-4-5” group, made up of Alexei Ramírez, William Saavedra, Yasser Julio González and Tailon Sánchez he went 0-for-10—and overall 0-for-14 in Game 1. Bravo's only two strikeouts came in consecutive matchups repeating his curveball over and over again against Saavedra.
While the Vegueros went 0-for-6 in two-strike counts, the Leñadores showed better discipline and adjustments to maintain the offensive attack throughout the game. One-third of the Leñadores' hits (5) were on two-strike counts, and they scored six of the nine runs after two outs. It's hard to stop an offensive machine at this level when the starter can't complete an inning.
None of the last four starters who have pitched against Las Tunas have been able to get past the fifth inning. Four of the last three, the left-hander Yunier Castillo (did not get outs in Game 3 of the Semifinal), the right-hander César García (he pitched just 1 ⅔ innings in Game 4 of the Semifinal), and this Sunday the right-hander Mario Valle ( ⅔ innings in Game 1 of the Grand Final) have not even gotten more than five outs. How to stop this vertical power? That is the big question that Pinar del Río's pitching will have to answer.
Also, here's another telling trend: Pinar del Río's pitchers struck out seven of the nine batters who opened the inning. Of course, that was a great start to most of the innings, but the pitchers couldn't maintain the consistency they expected.
In the two innings in which the Leñadores reached the first batter of the inning, they ended up scoring three-run rallies. That's how it was in the first inning and then in the ninth. Denis Peña drove in four of those six runs, punishing Valle with a single in the first inning. Eight innings later, he hit a three-run home run that put the Leñadores ahead 9-1. So the story around the Leñadores' offensive success was based on effectiveness. Even when they failed to reach runners with no outs, they took advantage of game situations. They were lethal with runners in scoring position, hitting 7-for-14, while Pinar del Río 0-for-7 in closed Game 1.
At least in this first version of the swings we saw from the Vegueros, a negative turning point could have been the fact of starting below in the count. The duo of Eliander Bravo and Rodolfo Díaz combined to open ahead in the count during 23 of 34 matchups throughout the afternoon. There were seven two-strike counts, but only two strikeouts—both by William Saavedra against Bravo. The Vegueros could not make adjustments. And, to aspire to win against the Leñadores in this Grand Final, Pinar del Río's offense needs to produce.
From top to bottom, at the current level of the National Series it is difficult to compete against the Leñadores lineup. We can start by taking a quick look in reverse: the ninth hitter, Yudier Rondón, hit 2-for-4, reaching base three times, with a double and two RBIs. Eighth hitter Héctor Castillo reached base once on a walk, and then scored. Seventh bat: Jeans Lucas Baldoquín drove in a run with two outs in the first inning. Sixth hitter: Yordanis Alarcón, 41, hit 4-for-5, with a double, one run scored, three RBIs and a stolen base.
Shall we go back up? Larduet reached base three times, scored a run after being left alive after hitting the offending foul fly, and stole a base—although he was also caught on two overly aggressive runs to second base. Roberto Súlivan Baldoquín, who left the game in the bottom of the seventh inning due to fatigue, had homered in his last three games.
And, well, then comes the middle of the lineup, where it never seems convenient to pit the team's main hitters against runners on base. Yosvany Alarcón, Rafael Viñales and Denis Peña make up a kind of Bermuda triangle that has been crushing pitchers this postseason. The three have combined for 10 home runs in these playoffs: all Pinar del Río hitters have seven. Going back to Denis Peña, listen to what an overwhelming postseason: he has five home runs, surpassing the three recorded in the Semifinal by all hitters from Pinar del Río (1) and Industriales (2) in 462 plate appearances combined.
Peña has hit a home run in his last four games, and has come within one of tying the playoff record, which has been held by Alexander Malleta (Industriales) since the 2006 postseason.
This result may surprise you, but Pinar del Río has lost its last eight Game 1s in National Series Finals. On the other hand, the Leñadores are 4-0. This is just the beginning, but the scenario faced at home by those led by Alexander Urquiola could become complicated if the team does not react in Game 2. We will see if left-hander Branlis Rodríguez can stop the inspiration and powerful team work of the Leñadores.
