Farmers to Caracas; Carlos Martí continues to make history

Farmers gird the scepter in I Cuban Elite Baseball League Photo: ACN.

We live everything that is desired in a baseball final this Sunday. Ninth inning, tied game and a batter decides the victory with a gold hit. This is what happened at the close of the first Elite League, when Osvaldo Abreu broke the tie with a single to the center to boost the victory and seal the 7-6 win for Agricultores over Portuarios, in a Mártires de Barbados stadium that exploded with joy and happiness.

As it happened six years ago, also on January 22, When Granma lifted a crown in the National Series for the first time, the afternoon was filled with emotions for the hosts, this time a team made up of people from Las Tunas and Granma, under the baton of the same director: Carlos Martíwho became the only mentor to have won all the finals of play off which you have attended.

The seventh match pleased the most demanding of fans, as the Orientals opened in front with a run in each inning of the first third and quickly took starter Pavel Hernández out of the box. However, the visitors also fought back from time to time and already in the fifth chapter they managed to equalize against a Mojena who, without the effectiveness of his two previous outings, was able to maintain the advantage that his teammates gave him in that same episode with three runs.

But the best was reserved for the ninth, when Michael González’s crew tied again with a sensational drive by Oscar Valdés against reliever Alberto Pablo Civil. A walk from Marlon Vega to Dailier Peña and a sacrifice bunt from Yunieski Larduet set the scene for Abreu to hit the golden single and set Bayamo on fire with another baseball success.

Farmers will then be the team that will represent us in the upcoming Caribbean Series in Caracas, Venezuela, from February 2 to 10, although for this they will have to take reinforcements for some positions. The final payroll will be announced on Wednesday, January 25.

Morals of the party

– Two good fielders from Portuarios outfielders, Roberto Acevedo and Dennis Laza, took away a couple of home runs from Guillermo Avilés and Yosvani Alarcón. That gave more drama to the meeting and was appreciated in a play off where the defense was very fat.

– Pavel Hernández and Marlon Vega did not shine at their height and talent, for more opportunities that their mentor Michael González gave them in a decisive match like this. The first as a starter and the second to preserve the tie in the ninth inning.

– The Farmers offense showed that not only with home runs they are capable of producing runs. The Alarcón brothers as guides, and a Rafael Viñales selected the MVP of the play offthe most bitter whips were this Sunday with four of the six pushed.

– Applause and hugs again for Joel Mojena with a long relief of six innings, but 120 seemed too much, especially if you had a bullpen with integrity, willing to give everything at the conclusion of this fair.

– Oscar Valdés should be one of those called to reinforce Farmers if the team does not finally make the Classic. He has had a dream final, with key hits like the one in the ninth episode. He has also improved a lot on defense and looks set to have a tremendous year internationally as well.

Morals of the Elite League

– For the archives it will remain as the first 3-1 comeback in a Cuban baseball postseason final. This happened in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the National Series, but never in a title discussion instance.

– Professor Carlos Martí remained undefeated in title discussions, having accumulated four with Granma and now this first in the LEBC. In addition, he is the third mentor to win the National Series and an extra contest in the same season. Before, Jorge Fuentes achieved it twice and Eduardo Martín once.

– Ports deserves a separate. It was the team that got up from the basement until the 27th out of the last game. Their inspiration, drive, cohesion and desire to play radiated light and finally brought the fans to the stadiums. Perhaps celebrating early and not winning in the fifth game cost them a crown that they caressed, but without taking it to their showcases.

– The LEBC culminated with its best face, but many things remain to be solved and changed if we want this fight to meet the objectives with which it was conceived. We reiterate that we advocate for it, but without a show and with a half quality it will not be possible to magnetize a baseball town.

– INDIVIDUAL AWARDS: Average: Yoelkis Guibert (CAF), Hit and Runs Scored: Yunieski Larduet (AGR), RBIs: Yosvani Alarcón (AGR), Home Runs: Dayan García (TAB), PCL: José Ignacio Bermúdez (POR)

Games Saved: Yeudis Reyes (CAF), Games Won: Alberto Pablo Civil (AGR), Elite League MVP: Alberto Pablo Civil (AGR) and Play off MVP: Rafael Viñales (AGR)