Game 2: Second episode, same as the first
For the Vegueros of Pinar del Río, it is simply time to react. Otherwise, the Leñadores will be closer every game to revalidating the title.
The Las Tunas Leñadores have won 13 of their last 14 playoff games at home. Before this postseason, they have won two of the three finals that started with a 2-0 lead.
The next climb to the throne could be in this 63rd National Series: The Leñadores have once again started the Grand Final with a 2-0 lead after beating the Vegueros of Pinar del Río 6-4 in 10 innings this Tuesday in Game 2.
It will be the first time that the Leñadores will play the final at home with a 2-0 lead and the possibility of being crowned champions in front of their fans. The challenge for the Vegueros will not be easy, but in baseball you never know which scenario will add more pressure.
Left-hander Branlis Rodríguez and rookie right-hander Yadier Zamora began a scoreless duel in the first four innings. The Leñadores took the lead in the top of the fifth with an RBI double by Héctor Castillo, and a groundout to third by Yuniesky Larduet.*
*Zamora, 19, has caused a sensation all season for his potential that is totally superior to the pitcher we normally see in the league. He has a fastball that is nine mph faster than the league average (83-84 mph), and he mixes it with a curveball and a slider that have wreaked havoc against his opponents. Zamora still has to work hard on his command, but he could surprise in a short time. During Game 2 this Tuesday, he threw 35 of his 83 pitches in the first three innings. That was too much. It seemed easy to appreciate how Zamora felt the pressure on his shoulders for starting a playoff game with the champion team. But, even when several players gave him instructions to throw a certain shot, Zamora simply listened and tried to keep his focus again. He came out of trouble against Pinar del Río's best set of hitters, and managed to put himself on track for five valuable innings on a day that could be key to the fate of this Grand Final.
Speed was a key factor in the Leñadores making those first two runs. Yordanis Alarcón walked opening the inning, and reached third due to a wild pitch that catcher Jorge Yoán Rojas could not pick up in time. The other key baserunning was the aggressiveness of Castillo, who challenged third baseman Juan Carlos Arencibia with Larduet's grounder. Before the bounce reached third base, Castillo quickly ran toward home plate. Arencibia's only option was to field and risk throwing to the plate as quickly as possible, but he couldn't make the play in time. Arencibia chose to throw to first, and managed to put Larduet out.
In the bottom of the fifth, Luis Pablo Acosta walked and a throwing error by Rafael Viñales (trying to put out Rolando Martínez, who sacrificed himself with a bunt for first) complicated the inning. Arencibia also made a sacrifice bunt and Pinar del Río once again put runners in scoring position. After so much offensive agony —they had left four runners on base during the first four innings— Alexei Ramírez hit an RBI double that tied the score, 2-2.
Leñadores manager Abeisy Pantoja trusted rookie Yadier Zamora and let him face Lázaro Emilio Blanco after intentionally walking William Saavedra. Blanco had replaced Yasser Julio González, who left the game after being hit by a Zamora pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Vegueros had the great opportunity to take the lead on the scoreboard for the first time in this Grand Final after 13 innings of offense.
However, as had happened all afternoon until Alexei Ramírez's double, Pinar del Río could not drive in the lead run with runners in scoring position. Blanco hit a hard ground ball to first base, but first baseman Rafael Viñales made a timely fielding and Zamora covered first base in time to complete a brilliant out by the classic “3-1” route.*
*The emphasis of the gestures of the first base coach, Reinier León, did not need words: León tried to get Blanco to react and run faster towards first base, but it was too late. It didn't really seem like Blanco was trying to make the best of his career. He may have thought the grounder was foul. Or, perhaps, he gave up too soon. In the end, the truth is that Blanco came to the plate three times in Game 2 and left five runners waiting for a trailer. Pinar del Río lost by a difference of two runs (6-4). We shouldn't blame Blanco for missing key at-bats, but his lack of production definitely played a role in the loss.
The next inning, the Vegueros took the lead for the first time in the Final, although they scored the run after an error in a throw to third by catcher Yosvany Alarcón. The Leñadores continued to attack Branlis Rodríguez, who started the seventh inning and allowed a double by Yordanis Alarcón. Without left-hander Raudel Lazo available in the bullpen due to injury, Branlis' presence was reasonable. Jenier Álvarez was the first relief for the Vegueros, but he could not prevent Yudier Rondón from hitting the RBI single to tie the score, 3-3.
Then, finally, this is how it was: Second episode, same as the first... The Vegueros offense did not react again: they left six runners on base, dominated by relievers Rodolfo Díaz and Alberto Pablo Civil. After a three-run tie from the top of the seventh, the Leñadores decided the game in the Tie Break. The ninth hitter in the lineup, Yudier Rondón, had been the last out in the ninth. So the Leñadores had a great opportunity and they didn't waste it. Larduet sacrificed himself with a bunt, Roberto Súlivan Baldoquín—he was 0 for 4—was hit by a pitch from Álvarez and the bases were loaded for the third hitter, Yosvany Alarcón.
That was the perfect scenario that the Leñadores manager, Abeisy Pantoja, was waiting for. And Alarcón did not disappoint the Leñadores. At 0-1, Álvarez threw a fastball in the center of the strike zone and Alarcón did not forgive him: he hit a double to deep center field that cleared the bases. As the ball flew, the hopes of the Vegueros seemed to be pulverized at the Capitán San Luis stadium.
In the end, all the runs that Pinar del Río scored were unearned and, if the game was decided in extra innings, it was largely because left fielder Mario Sánchez robbed Yordanis Alarcón of a two-run home run at the top of the ninth.
Pinar del Río tried to tie the score in the bottom of the tenth inning, but Leñadores closer Alberto Pablo Civil struck out Frank Raúl González with the bases loaded. So, once again, the history of dominance was repeating itself. For the fourth consecutive time in the Finals, Las Tunas has opened with a 2-0 lead.
We'll talk a little about the Leñadores' impressive pace in a minute, because the story here goes beyond that considerable lead. The alarming thing about starting down 0-2 is not the when (during two home games), but the how: the Vegueros have been ahead on the scoreboard for only one of 19 innings on offense in Games 1 and 2 of this Great Final.
There can be countless ways to win and lose in baseball. Teams that lose because they lacked the power to come back. Others who started the postseason at a high level, and then have not been able to maintain the winning pace. And, of course, there are the rivals who could never offer resistance. The Vegueros of Pinar del Río have tried to challenge the Leñadores de Las Tunas (current defending champions), but they have not looked like the powerful team that was able to lead the regular season and not lose any five-game series.
So that's the big turning point here: the Vegueros of Pinar del Río have been limited by the collective impact of the Leñadores of Las Tunas. Yes, we could bring multiple arguments here like that:
The Vegueros have gone 2-for-18 (.111) with runners in scoring position during Games 1 and 2. The Leñadores? They are averaging .407 (11-for-27).
Two-strike counts have been a serious problem: Pinar del Río is 3-for-21 with just one extra-base hit. Guess which one it was? Of course: Alexei Ramirez's RBI double that tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning during Game 2.
This is not something that was really expected: With one swing, Mario Sánchez (1-for-2) has had more hits than William Saavedra (0-for-6), Yasser Julio González (0-for-5), Lázaro E. Blanco combined (0-for-3), Rolando Martínez (0-for-3) and Frank Raúl González (0-for-3), who are 0-for-20 against the Las Tunas pitchers in this Grand Final.
They have scored only two runs before having two outs. Instead, all five times the Leñadores led off the inning by reaching their first batter between Games 1 and 2, they managed to score runs.
On a day without the support of the bullpen's main relievers - although Jenier Álvarez has relieved effectively - the support of left-hander Branlis Rodríguez was decisive.
The Vegueros have batted .185 with only one extra base hit in two games.
These are part of the decisive arguments that have influenced the Vegueros' first two defeats. I know we could add a few more points here, but it would be enough to highlight the worrying trends: Pinar del Río has not been able to stay ahead on the scoreboard for more than one inning. And in baseball, when you can't dominate your opponent, your strategies are considerably limited.
It is not so easy to come back every day, especially if you play against the Leñadores of these times in the Cuban National Series. Their track record of success proves it. The four consecutive finals that have started with a 2-0 lead have had a predominant trend: The Leñadores have not only ended up winning their eight combined Games 1 and 2 in finals. The path to each victory has been in consistency.
Before this 63rd National Series, Las Tunas had led the scoreboard in 38 of 54 combined innings between Games 1 and 2 of the four Finals they have played. Playing for 70% innings with a lead on the scoreboard sounds incredibly overwhelming, so much so that the difference is notable in the rest of the series: 33%.
According to what the statistics show, Las Tunas has won two of its three Finals largely by starting with a 2-0 lead. The only year they lost was in 2018, when the Alazanes de Granma came back to be crowned champions in Game 7.
The Leñadores' next two Finals have ended in at least five games: 4-1 against Villa Clara in 2019, and 4-0 against Industriales last year. You may not trust the odds much, but the Leñadores stayed ahead 48% of the innings against Villa Clara, and that rate increased to 70% last year against Industriales. Can you see the reason why Las Tunas swept Industriales?
The Leñadores are playing as expected, at the level of a defending champion. With two losses at home, Pinar del Río needs to recover and demonstrate the strength that led the team to lead the league until this postseason.
