The Matanzas Cocodrilos find themselves on the verge of losing their National Series title, after a disproportionated 15-5 defeat in Game 4 of the 2021 Cuban Finals against the Granma Alazanes, in a game that was called after seven innings when the mercy rule went into effect. BOX SCORE The victory gave the Alazanes a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series that continues Friday, when the “visitors” can end the Cocodrilos’ season. Granma’s ace Lázaro Blanco starts for the Alazanes and the Cocodrilos counter with Yoanni Yera in a repeat of Game 1. There was plenty of ugliness in Game 4 for Matanzas. Manager Armando Ferrer decided to give the ball to Renner Rivero – starter of Game 3 less than 24 hrs before – and the pitching selection backfired when Rivero was pulled out of the game in the second inning after 42 pitches. Rivero exited the game leaving bases loaded and batter Raico Santos in a 2-0 count. Righty Joel Suárez came to his rescue, but walked Santos allowing the runner to score from third for Granma’s 2-0 lead. The rest is history. Carlos Benítez followed with a two-run double and Guillermo García singled after Guillermo Avilés was intentionally walked, putting the Alazanes 5-0 up. Suárez settled down and was able to keep the score the same for the next two innings, but in the fifth Guillermo García first homer of the game extended the lead to 6-0. An inning later and Suárez was out of the game. The veteran right-hander hit Roel Santos to start the sixth and after retiring Osvaldo Abreu in a flyout to center field he issued a walk to Raico Santos putting two on with one out. After 62 pitches Ferrer had enough and pulled Suárez out of the game. It didn’t matter. New reliever Armando Dueñas would walk the two batters he faced for an 8-0 lead, while new pitcher Leandro Hernández would accept Guille García’ single for an 9-0 lead. Meanwhile Granma’ starter Joel Mogena was simply cruising against an offensive Matanzas lineup. The right-hander looked dominant in Game 4 allowing 2 hits with 3 walks and three strikeouts during the first five frames. He ran into trouble in the sixth – already winning 9-0 -, as he issued his fourth walk and yielded back-to-back singles for Matanzas’ first run. At the end, Mogena completed six strong innings of one run, four hits, four walks and four strikeouts for his first win of the series. In the seventh Granma would score six more runs to seal the final score. The last two runs of the inning would be scored by Guille García’ second homer of the game. It was the first time in his career that the young prospect from Granma hit two home runs and drove in six runs in a game. He went 4-for-5 in the afternoon. Matanzas would score four runs against reliever Juan D. Pérez in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the mercy rule. Highlights National Series Finals Mar 28, Game 1: Mtz 2, Grm 3 Mar 29, Game 2: Mtz 5, Grm 6 Mar 31, Game 3 - Grm 1, Mtz 3 Apr 1, Game 4 - 2 p.m. (ET): Grm 15, Mtz 5 (Mercy Rule 7 Inn) Apr 2, Game 5 - 2 p.m. (ET): Probables, RHP Lázaro Blanco (Grm) vs. LHP Yoenni Yera (Mtz) Granma leads the best-of-seven series 3-1 (Top photo of Joel Mogena: Ismael Francisco)

The Matanzas Cocodrilos beat the Granma Alazanes 3-1 in Game 3 of the 2021 Cuban Finals in a game they had to win, breaking the Alazanes’ four-game winning streak in the postseason. Naykel Cruz threw a long and exceptional relief, Matanzas hitters took care of undefeated starter César García, and the Cocodrilos showed they were ready for another comeback beating the Alazanes 3-1 in Game 3 on Wednesday afternoon to cut their deficit to 2-1 in the best-of-seven Cuban Finals. BOX SCORE Matanzas, trailing the series 2-0, led the scoring with an RBI single in the third inning by left-fielder Ariel Sánchez after Eduardo Blanco and Yadil Mujica singled off of Granma’ starting pitcher César García. The Cocodrilos added two more runs in the fourth inning when they loaded the bases and Aníbal Medina reached first base on an error by the Alazanes third baseman Osvaldo Abreu, scoring Erisbel Arruebarrena who had received a walk after Yariel Duque opened the frame with single. Minutes later Yadiel Mujica’ single sent home catcher Andrys Pérez, who was executing a sacrifice bunt after Arruebarrena’s walk and ended up with a single when Granma’ first baseman Guille Avilés couldn’t handle the ball. Matanzas’ 3-0 lead after four innings proved to be all they needed to take Game 3. César García who had a 2-0 record and a 0.59 ERA in 15 1/3 innings this postseason, allowed 3 runs in 3 1/3 innings to see his eight-game winning streak broken. The Alazanes got on the board in the top of the seventh inning on a solo-homer by center fielder Roel Santos making the final score 3-1. But the talk of the game was lefty reliever Naykel Cruz, who entered the game on relief of starter Renner Rivero in the third inning. Cruz had an unexpected success in the Matanzas rotation during the regular season, starting 12 games and going 6-3, but Matanzas’ manager Armando Ferrer avoided him in that role during the previous postseason series. This time Cruz proved to be ready for something bigger and we can definitely say he was the savior of Game 3 with 6 2/3 effective relief innings in a key game for the defending champions. “While I was warming up and was also following the game and mentally preparing each pitch. I knew I had to pitch well, there wasn’t other way, we had to win this game”, said Naykel Cruz after the game. Matanzas manager Armando Ferrer also added, “He - Cruz - was great, with great velocity and mixing his pitches well, I think that was the key to victory”. Rivero, who led Matanzas’ comeback against Las Tunas in the Cuban Semifinals winning Game 3 to avoid a 0-3 start of the series, on Wednesday afternoon didn’t have his best command and was pulled after 2 1/3 innings. Rivero didn’t allow a single or run during his outing, but walked three batters and hit three. In the third inning Rivero left the bases loaded and Ferrer called upon Cruz to save the day, and the youngster didn’t disappoint. Cruz, making his debut in the series, induced a pop-out against Game 2 hero Raico Santos and then retired Carlos Benítez on a groundball to third baseman Mujica to strand the three runners and end the inning. These were probably the two most important outs of the game for Matanzas. “We didn’t take advantage of the opportunities we had, in the third inning we had the bases loaded but there wasn’t any clutch hit and then Cruz came in relief and did an excellent job”, said Granma’s manager Carlos Martí after the game. The Alazanes had one more real chance to score against Cruz, when they put two runners on in the sixth inning thanks to Raico Santos and Iván Prieto singles, but Cruz struck out DH Guillermo García to end the threat. In the ninth, with already two outs, shortstop Yulián Milián singled to right field bringing home the possible tying run, but Cruz sealed his first Cuban Finals win fanning pinch-hitter Darién García. It was Cruz’ sixth strikeout of the game and his 107 pitch. Here is what made this a must-win game for Matanzas: no team in the history of the Cuban Finals dating back to 1990 has ever come back to win after losing the first three games. The Cocodrilos made sure they would not be in that position. Game 4 is Thursday at 2 p.m. (ET) and will feature Alazanes righty Joel Mojena against Game 3 starter, the Cocodrilos’ right-hander Renner Rivero. Highlights National Series Finals Mar 28, Game 1: Mtz 2, Grm 3 Mar 29, Game 2: Mtz 5, Grm 6 Mar 31, Game 3 - Grm 1, Mtz 3 Apr 1, Game 4 - 2 p.m. (ET): Probables, RHP Joel Mojena (Grm) vs. RHP Joel Suárez (Mtz) Granma leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 (Top photo of Naykel Cruz: Ismael Francisco)

Raico Santos doesn’t stop bringing home teammates, Granma’s relievers have allowed two runs in five innings and the Granma Alazanes are just two games away from their third Cuban National Series title. The Alazanes took a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Cuban Final Series on Monday afternoon, after beating the Cocodrilos 6-5 in Game 2. Starter Leandro Martínez pitched a no-hitter for 4 1/3 innings, Granma bullpen held on for three innings and Santos’ 3 RBIs in the game paced the offense. Santos offensive rampage included a decisive eighth inning solo-shot off closer Joel Suárez. It was Santos’ fourth RBI in two games. BOX SCORE Game 3 of the series is Wednesday at 1 p.m (ET) with César García scheduled to start for Granma. Matanzas will go with Renner Rivero. Granma, after winning Game 1 (3-2) behind ace Lázaro Blanco, didn’t waste any time in Game 2 adding three runs in the first two frames of the game. Veteran right-hander Noelvis Entenza started for Matanzas, and got in trouble early walking two and allowing Guillermo Avilés’ RBI-single to center for Granma's 1-0 lead. In the second inning Entenza issued a walk to the first batter he faced, and then Erisbel Arruebarruena’s error at short left two runners on. Alexquemer Sánchez moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt, only to see both score on Roel Santos’ double to left field. Meanwhile everything was working for Granma’ starter Leandro Martínez. With 49 pitches the veteran left-hander had Matanzas hitless until the fifth. In that inning, a good defensive play by right fielder Alex Sánchez gave Martínez the first out, but then a walk - Yadir Drake - and Yariel Duque’ single to center - Matanzas’ first hit of the game -, brought outfielder Ariel Sánchez to the plate. Then on a 2-2 count Sánchez crushed Martínez’s 62-pitch of the game for a three-run shot to left field to tie the score at 3-3. New game! Leandro Martínez was able to end the inning retiring Eduardo Blanco in a grounder to shortstop Yulián Milán, but after 76 pitches was removed from the game to start the sixth inning, despite giving up just two hits. The pitching change didn’t go well for Granma. Matanzas would take its first lead of the game in the sixth against relievers Juan Danilo Pérez and Erluis Blanco. Pérez allowed back-to-back singles and issued a walk to Arruebarrena to load the bases, and then Blanco came to his rescue allowing Drake’s two-run single to left for Matanzas 5-3 lead. Matanzas could have scored more runs in the inning, but Arruebarrena’s base running trying to get to third base ended with Matanzas’ second out of the inning after the Matanzas' infielder slid past third base. The lead didn’t last long. With already 89 pitches the sixth frame saw Entenza surrender a single, a walk and a sacrifice bunt to put the tying run on second. Matanzas’s manager Armando Ferrer had already seen too much and pulled Entenza out of the game bringing young lefty reliever Naykel Cruz. And Cruz responded on the next two batters, getting Roel Santos in fly out to center before fanning Osvaldo Abreu looking for the second out of the inning. But it was definitely Raico Santos’ game. In an empty count Raico lined a two-run single up the middle to tie the game at 5-5 ending Cruz relief. Two innings later Raico would sentence the game. Facing Matanzas’s third reliever of the game - right-hander Joel Suárez - and on a 1-2 count, Santos crushed an 85-mph high fastball giving Granma a final 6-5 lead. Alazanes’ manager Carlos Martí handed the ball to closer Carlos Santana in the ninth and Santana gave Matanzas some hope. The right-hander allowed back-to-back singles to put runners in the corners with no out to start the inning. But Santana didn’t panic and first retired pinch-hitter Juan M. Vázquez in a hard grounder to first base that was played well by Avilés, who started and finished an important 3636 double play. Santana then stranded the runner on third striking out Eduardo Blanco to preserve the lead for his first save of the series. Highlights National Series Finals Mar 28, Game 1: Mtz 2, Grm 3 Mar 29, Game 2: Mtz 5, Grm 6 Mar 31, Game 3 - 1 p.m. (ET): Probables, RHP César García (Grm) vs. RHP Renner Rivero (Mtz) Granma leads the best-of-seven series 2-0 (Top photo of Raico Santos: Oscar Alfonso/Photo of Granma: Oscar Alfonso)

Before the 2021 Cuban Finals Ernesto Reynoso, Cuban Baseball Commissioner, announced today the 60th National Series Awards. The awards were announced in Havana, and include the Gold Glove Awards – best defensive player at each position-, the Silver Slugger Award – best offensive player at each position -, and the All-Star Team. The announcement also included the individual awards of the season: Best Pitchers – righty and lefty –, Best reliever, Rookie of the Year, and the MVP Award. Industriales Leones first baseman and designated hitter, Lisbán Correa, was voted the Most Valuable Player of the Year in a race with Cienfuegos second baseman César Prieto and Camagüey right-hander Frank Madan. For Correa it was his first MVP Award becoming the seventh Industriales player to win the award, joining a list that includes Javier Méndez in 2003, Jorge Fumero in 1996, Orlando “Duque” Hernández in 1994, Lázaro Vargas in 1986, Antonio Jiménez in 1971 and Urbano González in 1965. The 33-year-old Correa led the league in home runs (28), RBIs (82), slugging (.692), and ISO (.372) and had a .320 batting average, leading Industriales to the 2021 postseason. Mayabeque Huracanes right-hander Marlon Vega was named the Rookie of the Year. He beat out right-handers Yosvani Ávalos of Ciego de Ávila and Luis D. Morales of Sancti Spíritus, Artemisa’s outfielder Carlos de la Tejera, and teammate, infielder Rafael Fonseca. Vega went 9-2 during the 2020-21 season with 3 saves, a 4.36 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 84 2/3 innings. The Huracanes youngster started 8 games but was mostly a reliever achieving 22 RG during the 60th NS. Despite the award, Vega’s K/BB ratio was terrible showing an alarming 1.21, and indicating the outdated parameters that are still used to choose the best players of the year in Cuba. Vega is the first Mayabeque Huracanes player, either pitcher or batter, to be named Rookie of the Year in Cuban National Series history. He is the first pitcher to win the award since Pinar del Río’s RHP Yoandry Cruz in 2016, and the 28th since the award began in 1965. 60th National Series Awards All-Star Team C: Yosvani Alarcón (Las Tunas) 1B: Rafael Viñales (Las Tunas) 2B: César Prieto (Cienfuegos) 3B: Jefferson Delgado (Matanzas) SS: Luis Vicente Mateo (Cienfuegos) OF: Yasniel González (Mayabeque), Geiser Cepeda (Sancti Spíritus), and Dennis Laza (Mayabeque) Utility: Jorge E. Alomá (Industriales) Silver Slugger Awards C: Yosvani Alarcón (Las Tunas) 1B: Lisbán Correa, (Industriales) 2B: César Prieto (Cienfuegos) 3B: Pavel Quesada (Cienfuegos) SS: Luis Vicente Mateo (Cienfuegos) OF: Yasniel González (Mayabeque), Geiser Cepeda (Sancti Spíritus), and Dennis Laza (Mayabeque) DH: Frederich Cepeda (Sancti Spíritus) Gold Glove Awards C: Andrys Pérez (Matanzas) 1B: Daniel Pérez (Cienfuegos) 2B: César Prieto (Cienfuegos) 3B: Luis Ángel Sánchez (Guantánamo) SS: Yordan Manduley (Holguín) OF: Dayler Peña (Las Tunas), Yoasán Guillén (Industriales), and Andrés Quiala (Las Tunas) Utility: Magdiel Gómez (Villa Clara) Pitcher: José Pablo Cuesta (Industriales) Individual Awards Most Valuable Player (MVP): Lisbán Correa (Industriales) Best RHP: Frank Madan (Camagüey) Best LHP: Yudiel Rodríguez (Las Tunas) Best Reliever: Yunior Tur (Santiago de Cuba) Rookie of the Year (ROY): Marlon Vega (Mayabeque) (Top Photo of Lisbán Correa: Ricardo López Hevia/Photo of Marlon Vega: Abel Rojas)

The Cuban Baseball Commissioner, Francisco Reynoso, announced on Thursday afternoon the schedule for the 2021 Cuban Finals. The best-of-seven Finals between the defending champions, the Matanzas Cocodrilos, and the 2017 and 2018 Cuban champions, the Granma Alazanes, is set to begin Sunday, March 28 at José A. Huelga in Sancti Spíritus. Game 7, if needed, is scheduled for April 5. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic only one stadium will host the series. The 2021 Cuban Finals will be played with off-days between Game 2 and 3, and Game 5 and 6. (Top photo Game 1 of the 2018 Cuban semifinals between Matanzas and Granma: Ramón Pacheco Salazar)

The Matanzas Cocodrilos completed the task, defeating the Las Tunas Leñadores 6-3 in Game 6 on Sunday to clinch back-to-back trips to the Cuban Finals. After losing two straight games to start the Cuban Semifinals, the defending champions won four in a row to win the series and clinch the team’s fourth Cuban Finals (2020, 2014, 2013). BOX SCORE Yadir Drake hit a two-run homer off starter Yudiel Rodríguez to put the Cocodrilos 2-0 up in the third inning, and then Erisbel Arruebarena hit a decisive three-run homer in the seventh to cap off Matanzas’ offensive output. After winning 44 games during the regular season, the Cocodrilos will be in search of back-to-back National Series titles, when they take on the 48-games winner the Granma Alazanes in the Finals. Matanzas’ previous trip to the finals was last year, when they beat Camagüey in six games to win its first NS title. Game 6 of the series began as a pitching duel between Yudiel Rodríguez – winner of Game 2 – and Noelvis Entenza, the loser in that game. Both starters held the opposition scoreless through the first two innings, even when they had to work hard in the initial frame. The Leñadores missed a great opportunity of taking the lead against Entenza in the first inning. With runners on third - Andrés Quiala’ single - and second - Danel Castro’s double -, third baseman Yadil Mujica fielded Yosvany Alarcón’ grounder and saw that Quiala was too far from the base and decided to run towards third base instead of throwing to first baseman Yasiel Santoya. When Quiala realized it was too late, and he was put out trying to return to the base in a dumb base running play. That play allowed Entenza to escape in the inning and make him complete the first four innings scoreless. Matanzas loaded the bases with two walks and a single in the bottom of the first against Rodríguez, an inning when Las Tunas starter threw 26 pitches, but Rodríguez was able to get out of the jam retiring Yasiel Santoya in a groundball to second. In the third Matanzas got to Rodríguez. With already two outs, Arruebarena singled and Yadiel Drake followed with a two-run shot for an early 2-0 lead. It was Drake’s 10 RBI of the last three games. An inning later Matanzas made it 3-0. Ariel Sánchez doubled to centerfield, Andrys Pérez moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt down the third base line, and when Rodríguez went to first base, he threw it past first baseman Santoya, allowing Sánchez to score. Things would remain scoreless for Las Tunas until the fourth inning when the Leñadores finally broke through off Entenza. Manuel Ávila singled to start the inning and was forced in second after Mujica’s stellar defensive play at third over speedy Héctor Castillo’ groundball. In a hit and run play Yuniesky Larduet followed with a single to left, Castillo made it to third and then raced for home when the throw – that was on time and was about to beat him - skipped past the catcher allowing him to score for Las Tunas’ first run of the game. Quiala would follow with a double that brought home Larduet for the 3-2. Entenza’s outing ended after facing three batters in the seventh, getting one out and giving up a walk to Yuniesky Larduet and an Andrés Quiala single. Matanzas’s manager Armando Ferrer didn’t want to risk anything and gave the ball to Joel Suárez, winner of Game 4. The right-hander hit Danel Castro with his first pitch loading the bases, and then Yosvany Alarcón sacrifice fly to center field allowed Larduet to score from third tying the game at 3-3. Once again Suárez loaded the bases issuing an intentional walk to Rafael Viñales, but avoided more damage striking out Yordanis Alarcón to end the threat. It was the only strikeout Suárez had in the game but probably the most important one. In the seventh Matanzas put two runners on against Rodríguez and manager Pablo Civil went to the mound to talk to his pitcher. Civil didn’t remove the starter, that had already thrown 97 pitches, and the decision proved to be costly. Rodríguez retired Jefferson Delgado for the second out of the inning but with Yadir Drake on deck they decided to pitch to Arruebarrena, and the ex-Dodger launched a no-doubt homer to left field giving Matanzas a final 6-3 lead. In the bottom of the eighth inning both teams cleared their benches and some punches were thrown after Castillo slid aggressively into second base, where Cocodrilos second baseman Aníbal Medina forced him out. When the dust settled, four key players from Las Tunas were ejected from the game: Héctor Castillo, Yuniesky Larduet, Andrés Quiala, and Alberto Civil, and two from Matanzas: Joel Suárez and Yadir Drake. Suárez, who pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings allowing one hit, a walk and a strikeout took the win. It was his third decision of the series. Suaréz saved the important Game 3 of the series won by Matanzas 1-0 and a day later went to win Game 4. The veteran right-hander limited Las Tunas’s offense to only .147 AVG in the series while completing 10 1/3 scoreless innings of five hits, four strikeouts and a walk. David Mena came in the ninth to close the game and the right-hander retired three of the four batters he faced for the save. Even when this was a different season, it was a familiar ending. With the win the Cocodrilos have escorted the Leñadores out of the postseason in back-to-back seasons. Last year in rout to its first National Series title Matanzas beat Las Tunas 3-1 in the semifinals. Highlights National Series Semifinals Mar 7, Game 1: Ltu 4, Mtz 2 Mar 8, Game 2: Ltu 10, Mtz 6 Mar 10, Game 3: Mtz 1, Ltu 0 Mar 11, Game 4: Mtz 12, Ltu 7 (11 Inn) Mar 12, Game 5: Mtz 4, Ltu 3 Mar 13, Game 6: Ltu 3, Mtz 6 Matanzas won the best-of-seven series 4-2 (Top photo of Team Matanzas: Oscar Alfonso/Photo of Yadir Drake: GameTime Sport)

After Game 5 of the semifinals between the Matanzas Cocodrilos and the Las Tunas Leñadores, Matanzas looks once again, like the team to beat in the 2021 Cuban playoffs. A confident team is a dangerous team, the Matanzas Cocodrilos are very confident and just one win from advancing to the Cuban Final, after beating the Leñadores and his ace, Carlos Juan Viera, 4-3 in Game 5 Friday afternoon. BOX SCORE But how we got here? With the series 2-0 up for Las Tunas, Game 3 was a huge missed opportunity for the Leñadores. They lost 1-0 against Renner Rivero and closer Joel Suárez, after having the chance of…basically bury Matanzas with a 3-0 up. Then Game 4 was devastating, losing 12-7 – coming from behind 0-7 - in the first extra inning of the series, after 11 innings of battling a powerful roster led by the bat of Yadir Drake, who even added a Cuban postseason record, with six hits and 7 RBIs in the game. In Game 5, Noelvis Entenza pumped his fist when center fielder Eduardo Blanco caught the final out of the game in the ninth, to complete his second save of the postseason in a 4-3 victory as the Cocodrilos seized a 3-2 lead in the series. Game 2 winner, lefty Yudiel Rodríguez, will try to save Las Tunas’ season when he starts Game 6 Sunday afternoon. Matanzas, ready to finish another epic comeback, will send to the mound right-hander Noelvis Entenza. But it was starter Yoenni Yera – Game 1 loser – who mowed down the Leñadores for six innings, giving up three earned runs to earn his first win of the series. Yera wasn’t as sharp as expected, but he was able to sustain a 4-2 lead until the sixth, when Las Tunas scored its last run of the game on Eduardo García’s double to center field. Yera, who this year had a 3-0 record and 2.93 ERA in 27 2/3 innings pitching for the Algodoneros de Guasave in the Mexican Pacific Winter League, went six innings allowing nine hits, two walks and two struck outs. One of Yera’s strikeouts came in the sixth inning, when Las Tunas had the potential tying run on second, two outs and pinch hitter Denis Peña in a 2-2 count. Yera’s 100 pitch was an 81-mph curveball that Peña couldn’t find, and Yera’s excitement was evident celebrating the end of the inning and his outing. He knew was an important out. The Cocodrilos starter gave up a RBI single to Danel Castro in the first inning. Yuniesky Larduet singled to start the inning and Andrés Quiala doubled sending Larduet to third. Larduet would score on Castro’s single but Las Tunas “big” first inning would be cut short, when Quiala tried to score from third on Yosvany Alarcón’s groundball to first baseman Yariel Duque, in one of the worst base running plays of the series. Three innings later the Matanzas’ starter was again in trouble. Yera walked Rafael Viñales to start the fourth, and Yordanis Alarcón’ single to right field moved the runner to third. Yera retired the next two batters but speedy Héctor Castillo got the bunt down for a suicide squeeze play allowing Viñales to score to put Las Tunas 2-0 up. Meanwhile Las Tunas starter Carlos Juan Viera was dominant during the first four innings, allowing two singles and a walk after facing the first 15 batters of the game. Precisely in the fourth Viera allowed the first two hits and walked Yadir Drake to load the bases, but then retired Juan M. Vázquez in a 4663 double play to end the inning. An inning later the story would be different. In the fifth and facing Jefferson Delgado, Viera had his fourth struck out of the game, but then allowed back-to-back singles of Andrys Pérez and Eduardo Blanco. Then in a crazy managerial play - that ended up working well for Matanzas - Anibal Medina got the sacrifice bunt down moving the runners to scoring position. Moments later, Yadil Mujica, Ariel Sánchez, and Yariel Duque all singled and Yadir Drake hit a doubled to right-center field, to complete a Matanzas’ four-run rally for a decisive 4-2 lead. Viera would end the game – in a foolish move by manager Pablo Civil -, allowing four runs on 11 hits, six strikeouts and four walks. The right-hander threw 132 pitches and won’t be available for the rest of the series. When Yera was forced to leave after 100 pitches, veteran Jonder Martínez relieved and was able to complete 1 1/3 scoreless innings allowing two hits and a strikeout. In the eighth after Yordanis Alarcón’s single, Noelvis Entenza took over and faced the tying run. But Entenza got pinch hitter Jorge Yhonson on a grounder for a 4663 double play to end the threat. In the ninth, with already two outs, Entenza issued a walk to Larduet but then Quiala hit a routine fly to center field that got Entenza celebrating. Highlights National Series Semifinals Mar 7, Game 1: Ltu 4, Mtz 2 Mar 8, Game 2: Ltu 10, Mtz 6 Mar 10, Game 3: Mtz 1, Ltu 0 Mar 11, Game 4: Mtz 12, Ltu 7 (11 Inn) Mar 12, Game 5: Mtz 4, Ltu 3 Mar 13, Game 6 - 1 p.m. (ET): Probables, LHP Yudiel Rodríguez (Ltu) vs. RHP Noelvis Entenza (Mtz) Matanzas leads the best-of-seven series 3-2 (Top photo of Team Matanzas: Oscar Alfonso/Photo of Yoenni Yera: GameTime Sport)

Renner Rivero’s 6 1/3 innings gem was saved when Eduardo Blanco singled in the top of the seventh inning, to give Matanzas Cocodrilos a 1-0 victory over the Las Tunas Leñadores, in Game 3 of the Cuban Semifinals on Wednesday afternoon. BOX SCORE Joel Suárez got a two-innings save as Matanzas avoided to go 0-3 in the best-of-seven series. With two on in the eighth, Suárez came on relief of Naykel Cruz, retiring the next three batters to end the threat and preserve the 1-0 lead. In the ninth, Suárez was once again perfect for his first save of the series. The veteran right-hander threw 20 pitches and will be available for Game 4. The Cocodrilos got a splendid performance from starter Rivero in a duel with Las Tunas starter Alejandro Meneses. The Matanzas right-hander threw 98 pitches allowing three hits, five strikeouts and four walks. Matanzas right fielder Yadil Dreke came through with a huge double against Meneses in the top of the seventh, and then Blanco seal the victory with a key RBI-single to center field for the only run of the game. The biggest test for Matanzas starter Rivero came in the first inning. With one out Andrés Quiala singled to left field but Rivero fanned No. 3 batter Danel Castro for the second out of the inning. And when Yosvany Alarcón moved Quiala to second with another single, Rivero didn’t panic and struck out Rafael Viñales to end the inning. From that moment on Rivero allowed one more hit – Danel Castro in the third inning – and walked four with two strikeouts, in an 88-pitch performance that gives Matanzas a boost in the series. In the seventh, Rivero started the inning walking Yordanis Alarcón, and then Las Tunas manager Pablo Civil ordered a sacrifice bunt with Andrés de la Cruz, a play that was poorly executed and ended with Alarcón being retired at second base for the first out of the inning. It was a key play at the end of the game, especially because nowadays teams value outs more than ever and are more averse to giving them away. De la Cruz was the last batter Rivero retired in the game. He was pulled facing pinch hitter Denis Peña in a 0-2 count. Young lefty Naykel Cruz came on relief and struck out Peña before hitting PH Eduardo García. With two on, Cruz would end the inning retiring Yuniesky Larduet in flyout to center field. To be fair, Las Tunas starter Alejandro Meneses matched Rivero into the seventh. The right-hander, who was 6-6 with a 4.59 ERA in 13 starts this season, gave up six hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings. He was also helped by one double play and a runner caught stealing. Meneses struck out only one and was lifted after 97 pitches. Game 4 is Thursday afternoon (1 pm E.T.), with Ángel Sánchez scheduled to start for Las Tunas. Matanzas will go with Naykel Cruz. Highlights National Series Semifinals Mar 7, Game 1: Ltu 4, Mtz 2 Mar 8, Game 2: Ltu 10, Mtz 6 Mar 10, Game 3: Mtz 1, Ltu 0 Mar 11, Game 4 - 1 p.m. (ET): Probables, LHP Ángel Sánchez (Ltu) vs. LHP Naykel Cruz (Mtz) Las Tunas leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 (Top photo of Renner Rivero: Prensa Latina)

2020 was different…not only because of the COVID-19 pandemic but because Matanzas had basically no opposition against Las Tunas in route to its first National Series title. 2021 looks completely different for Matanzas during the Cuban semifinal playoffs. The defending champion is in a hole. After Las Tunas took Game 1 somewhat convincingly, they rolled in Game 2, 10-6, to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. BOX SCORE On Monday’s game Matanzas scored three runs in the first inning against starter Yudiel Rodríguez, but then the score was 4-3 Leñadores heading into the fourth, and then in the next three innings the wheels fell off. In a three-run rally in the sixth that was highlighted by five hits and Matanzas’ fifth error in the game, the Leñadores would go up 9-3 and that was pretty much that. Matanzas did get a couple of meaningless runs late – two in the eighth and one in the ninth – but it was ultimately a four-run victory and Las Tunas was never in danger of losing the game. Las Tunas is now two games away from heading to the 2021 Cuban Finals, which they can do with wins in Games 3 and 4, “playing at home”, on Wednesday and Thursday. Matanzas had a chance to tie the series when they started aggressively against Rodríguez. In the first inning the defending champions put three runs on four hits, but were unable to get the starter out of the game when Rodríguez retired Yadil Mujica in a 64 groundball with bases loaded to end the inning. Against Noelvis Entenza Las Tunas put four runners on bases in the first two innings, but couldn’t get any run. They finally got to Entenza in the top of the third, an inning where Matanzas’ defense made three errors to add to the four, they had in Game 1. It was a terrible inning for the Cocodrilos. Las Tunas scored two runs with three hits against Entenza in the fourth, an inning that included Héctor Castillo triple, a wild pitch that allowed Castillo to score, and Danel Castro RBI-single to make it 6-3. Two innings later and Entenza wouldn’t make it out of the sixth. Cocodrilos manager pulled Entenza in the sixth, when Matanzas scored three runs extending their lead 9-3. The veteran righty went 5 1/3 innings allowing nine runs – four earned – on 10 hits with two strikeouts and a walk. He threw 98 pitches and, to be honest, even when he was not helped by his defense, he was never in control of the game. Meanwhile, since Andrys Pérez walk in the first inning and until the eighth, Yudiel Rodríguez put up a great performance, going 6 1/3 innings without allowing a run on just four hits, one walk and five strikeouts. There’s not much you can do about that. During that stretch the left-hander had real trouble in the fourth inning, when Mujica singled to start the inning and, with one out, Ariel Sánchez moved Mujica to third with another single. But Rodríguez remained calmed and got out of trouble striking out Jefferson Delgado, and retiring Yadil Dreke in a soft fly to shortstop Andrés de la Cruz with his pitch number 76 of the game. Matanzas would score two runs against Rodríguez in the eighth, an inning when they had three hits. When Rodríguez left the mound after the eighth, he had completed eight innings of five runs – three earned – with eleven hits, six strikeouts and two walks for his second win this postseason. The lefty wasn’t brilliant the all way, but he was good enough to dominate a dangerous Matanzas lineup. The Cocodrilos threatened in the ninth against closer Yosbel Alarcón, getting one run across and putting two runners on, before Alarcón got out of trouble retiring pinch hitter Juan M. Vázquez in fly out to center field to put Las Tunas up 2-0 in the series. Game 3 is on Wednesday afternoon (1 pm E.T) and the Cocodrilos will try to get a first win when right-hander Renner Rivero starts against Alejandro Meneses. According to our writer Yirsandy Rodríguez, the only time Matanzas has been in a 0-2 deficit in a best-of-seven series was in the 2013 Postseason semifinals against Sancti Spíritus. They ended up winning the series 4-3, with victories in Games 3 (4-0), 4 (3-1), 5 (4-3), and 7 (10-5). Highlights National Series Semifinals Mar 7, Game 1: Ltu 4, Mtz 2 Mar 8, Game 2: Ltu 10, Mtz 6 Mar 10, Game 3 - 1 p.m. (ET): Probables, RHP Alejandro Meneses (Ltu) vs. RHP Renner Rivero (Mtz) Las Tunas leads the best-of-seven series 2-0 (Top photo of Yudiel Rodrtguez: GameTime Sport/Photo of the game: Guillermo Rodríguez)

Carlos Juan Viera is having his own show this postseason. Viera held the defending champions, the Matanzas Cocodrilos, in two runs, Andrés Quiala homered for the first time this postseason, and the Leñadores scored two decisive runs in the eighth inning, to lock down a 4-2 victory Sunday afternoon at José A. Huelga Stadium in Sancti Spíritus, and take a 1-0 lead in the 2021 Cuban Semifinals. BOX SCORE Quiala homered early off Yoanni Yera, who worked eight innings while keeping the Leñadores close. But they never broke through against a dominant Viera, who threw a complete game to win his second straight decision. Viera escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third and stranded eight runners, improving to 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA in two playoff outings this year. The 31-year-old right-hander allowed 10 hits and struck out five for the win. The right-hander is one of the reasons Las Tunas has big chances of winning its second National Series Championship. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Monday at 1:00 pm (E.T.) and right-hander Noelvis Entenza is expected to take the mound for Matanzas, while left-hander Yudiel Rodríguez will start for Las Tunas. In the first inning and after seven pitches, Andrés Quiala homered off Yera to give Las Tunas an early 1-0 lead. In the first Yera also allowed Yosvany Alarcón infield hit, but had no issues retiring the inning. Meanwhile Viera looked really sharp to start the game, retiring the first eight batters he faced. With two outs and two on – back-to-back singles by Yadiel Mujica and Aníbal Medina - in the bottom of the third inning, Ariel Sánchez hit a lined drive to left field to tie the game at 1-1 while Anibal Medina was caught trying to get to third base from first, in a dumb base running play that ended the inning. Las Tunas answered against Yera in the top of the fourth. With one out Yosvany Alarcón doubled to center field and went to third when Rafael Viñales singled to the left side. Minutes later Yordanis Alarcón sacrifice fly to center field made it 2-1. In the fifth Matanzas would score its last run of the game to once again tie the game against Viera. Eduardo Blanco doubled to center to start the inning, moved to third when Yadil Mujica singled through the right side, and scored on Medina’s single to left. Viera, with already 67 pitches and runners in the corners, looked in trouble but got a second air when with 11 pitches struck out Ariel Sánchez and Jefferson Delgado to end the threat. The right-hander would allow three more hits – two in the ninth – in the rest of the game. And Yera, who had retired eleven of the last thirteen batters faced since Viñales’ single in the fourth inning with two strikeouts, got in trouble in the eight, an inning that proved to be decisive. Las Tunas got a rally going in the eighth against Yera. Yadir Drake’s error in right field allowed Yuniesky Larduet get on base to start the inning. Larduet went to second with Quiala’s infield single, while Yosvany Alarcón’ single combined with Ariel Sánchez’ error in left field, allowed both runners to score for a decisive 4-2 lead. Yera, a little unlucky on his outing, went to pitch eight innings allowing four runs – two earned – on seven hits, six strikeouts and two walks for the loss. In the ninth Viera ran into trouble after retiring the first two batters of the inning. With already 125 pitches in the game, the righty allowed back-to-back singles by pinch hitters Juan M. Vázquez and William Luis Campillo, giving some hope to Matanzas’ team. Leñadores manager Pablo Civil didn’t lift his starter, and the veteran right-hander responded, only needing three pitches to retire Medina in foul pop to catcher Alarcón to end the game. It was Las Tunas fourth consecutive win this postseason. Highlights National Series Semifinals Mar 7, Game 1: Ltu 4, Mtz 2 Mar 8, Game 2 - 1 p.m. (ET): Probables, LHP Yudiel Rodríguez (Ltu) vs. RHP Noelvis Entenza (Mtz) Las Tunas leads the best-of-seven series 1-0 (Top photo of Carlos Juan Viera: Oscar Alfonso/Photo of the game: Guillermo Rodríguez)

The Las Tunas Leñadores clinched a ticket to the 60th National Series semifinals at Cándido González Stadium in Camagüey, getting home runs from Rafael Viñales and Yordanis Alarcón in beating the Santiago de Cuba Avispas 10-2 in four games. BOX SCORE Two days after a 7-0 shutout in Game 3, the Leñadores’s pitchers extended to 24 the consecutive innings without allowing a run against the Avispas. Leñadores starter Alejandro Meneses allowed José L. Gutiérrez’s triple in the first inning but then retired Yoelkis Guibert and Edilse Silva to end the inning and extend to 20 the consecutive scoreless innings against Santiago’s hitters. Four similar innings would follow, with Santiago putting at least a runner on base in every inning except the fourth, but always unable to score against the right-hander. In the meantime, Santiago’s starter Carlos Font – who also started Games 1 and 3 – was back in the mound with one day rest and after throwing 44 pitches on Tuesday, to face the same lineup that knock him out of the game early during Game 3 of the series. And Font faced the pressure early again. In the bottom of the second inning Rafael Viñales doubled to center field and scored on Yordanis Alarcón single. Two innings later, it was Viñales again, who hit a solo home run to center field to make it 2-0. Santiago would break “Las Tunas pitchers’ magic” in the top of the sixth inning, when back-to-back doubles by Guibert and Silva cut Las Tunas’ lead in half. Meneses settled down and retired the next two batters, but then walked Denis Alá and allowed Yaicel Pérez’s double to left field to tie the score at 2-2. After 98 pitches, Leñadores manager Pablo Civil decided to replace Meneses with his son, Alberto P. Civil. The right-hander ended the threat retiring Marcos L. Fonseca in fly out to right field. Civil, the only reliever Las Tunas used in Game 4, then went to retire nine of the eleven batters he faced. He allowed Guibert and Rudén Sánchez’ singles in the 7th and 8th innings, respectively, with no damage, completing 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief for the win. The Avispas’ pitching strategy of using Font three times in the series, trying to overcome a depleted starting rotation, couldn’t rebound from the collapse. In Game 2 Santiago manager Heriberto Rosales decided to leave starter Alberto Bicet after 99 pitches, and the right-hander threw an excessive 109 pitches that, according to the postseason pitching rules, unable him for pitching in Game 4. And this time Santiago starter Carlos Font was definitely better than in Game 3, but it wasn’t enough. During five innings he was able to keep his team in the game but the collapse was near. In the bottom of the sixth, an error, a hit by a pitch and Yordanis Alarcón’ single to right field gave Las Tunas a decisive 3-2 lead. With already 72 pitches Rosales pulled his starter and Santiago would be out of the postseason in the next 15 minutes. Font couldn’t do more. He had a decent start completing 5 1/3 innings and finishing with 3 strikeouts and one walk, five runs – three earned - on five hits. And while Las Tunas had Civil, Santiago had to rely on a stream of four relievers for the final three innings. None of them could control Las Tunas bats. In an endless sixth inning, Las Tunas broke the game open scoring six runs on four hits, that included Andrés de la Cruz and Yuniesky Larduet’s doubles. An inning later, reliever Uber L. Mejías walked Rafael Viñales and then allowed a two-run homer by Yordanis Alarcón for the final 10-2 score. Manager Pablo Civil and a really inspired Las Tunas team will face the defending champion Matanzas, in a repeat of the 2020 semifinals won by Matanzas 3-1, starting Sunday. The winner of the best-of-seven series will face Granma in the finals. Hightlights National Series Quarter Finals Jan 26, Game 1: Ltu 4, Scu 7 Feb 28, Game 2: Ltu 3, Scu 0 Mar 2, Game 3: Scu 0, Ltu 7 Mar 4, Game 4: Scu 2, Ltu 10 Las Tunas won the best-of-five series 3-1 (Top photo of Las Tunas: Leandro Pérez/Photo of Alberto P. Civil: Leandro Pérez/Photo of Carlos Font: GameTime Sport)

Yudiel Rodríguez pitched seven scoreless innings of four hits and the Las Tunas Leñadores solved Santiago de Cuba Avispas starter Carlos Font, beating the winner of Game 1, 7-0, on Tuesday afternoon for a 2-1 lead in the quarterfinal series. BOX SCORE In a repeat of Sunday’s loss, Avispas batters were kept in check. Santiago de Cuba went 6-for-32 at the plate for the afternoon game, and the Leñadores have kept the Avispas without a run for 19 consecutive innings, dating back to the seventh inning of Game 1 of the series on January 26th this year. Game 4 is on Thursday afternoon (1 pm E.T.), when veteran righty Danny Betancourt and the Avispas will try to regain their footing following an off day and force a decisive Game 5. Right-hander Alejandro Meneses is scheduled to start for Las Tunas. Santiago’s starter Carlos Font pitched just two innings and allowed six runs on six hits, for the loss. Andrés de la Cruz hit an RBI single off reliever Wilber Reyna in the third inning and later in the fifth singled against Santiago’s third reliever Uber Luis Mejías, to help the 2019 Champions win for the second straight game and move within one victory of the semifinals. Carlos J. Viera and two relievers silenced the Avispas offense in Game 2 and the Leñadores struck early in Game 3, combining three consecutive singles and a costly error by left-fielder Ariel Benavides to take a 2-0 lead. Then first baseman Rafael Viñales singled to left field bringing home Danel Castro and putting Las Tunas 3-0 up after one inning. Santiago’s starter Carlos Font, who went seven innings in Game 1 of the series and got the win, it was obvious didn’t have his best stuff today. He got in trouble early and couldn’t locate his best pitch, the fastball, allowing four hits in a key first inning, and escaping more runs when Yordanis Alarcón grounded into a 5443 double play to end the inning. Two innings later and Font was out of the game. In the bottom of the third, Font issued back-to-back walks to Andrés Quiala and Danel Castro and allowed Yosvany Alarcón’s double to right field for a 4-0 lead. Moments later, when the right-hander walked Viñales to load the bases, Santiago’s manager Heriberto Rosales had already seen too much and pull Font out of the game. The starter threw 44 pitches, didn’t have a strikeout, walked three batters and, at the end of the game, was responsible of six of the seven Las Tunas’ runs. The game was practically decided. Yudiel Rodríguez and closer Yosbel Alarcón combined to shut the Avispas winning the always important Game 3. Rodríguez took revenge of his Game 1 defeat throwing 123 pitches and adding a W to his already Game 2 S. Part of the reason why Rodríguez was able to keep Avispas hitters off the bases was his ability to command the zone and effectively mix all his pitches, especially after an uncertain first inning when he walked two and allowed a single. Santiago de Cuba have now gone 19 straight innings without scoring a run. The Leñadores’ pitchers seem to have honed in on the holes in individual swings and exploited them to spectacular effect. Santiago Torres is 3-for-11 in the series. Yoelkis Guibert is 1-for-7. Ariel Benavides is 2-for-12, Ruden Sánchez 3-for-12, Yaicel Pérez 1-for-5, Manuel Pérez 1-for-8. Overall, the Avispas are in real trouble, just one defeat away from going home and collectively hitting just .247 in the series. For many, this series is all over. Hightlights National Series Quarter Finals Jan 26, Game 1: Ltu 4, Scu 7 Feb 28, Game 2: Ltu 3, Scu 0 Mar 2, Game 3: Scu 0, Ltu 7 Mar 4, Game 4 – 1 p.m: Probables, RHP Danny Betancourt (Scu) vs. RHP Alejandro Meneses (Ltu) Las Tunas leads the best-of-five series 2-1 (Top photo of Las Tunas: Leandro Pérez/Photo of Yudiel Rodríguez: Leandro Pérez)