The Las Tunas team confirmed this Thursday that the era of the Lumberjacks is still alive, after completing the comeback in the quarterfinal playoffs against the Santiago de Cuba Wasps, securing for the fourth consecutive year the podium of the Cuban National Baseball Series and being cited for this Sunday in the semifinals against the current champions, the Crocodiles of Matanzas.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- The winning cycle under the command of Pablo Alberto Civil is far from over, after the 2019 title, the 2018 runner-up, and the third position the previous year. Now, after a start with many problems and their pre-competition preparation being questioned, the green and red squad has just reaffirmed itself as the best in the country in the last five years.
A month after starting their series against the Wasps on the wrong foot, the Lumberjacks prevailed three times this week, with undeniable authority. The initial 7x4 defeat, on January 26, was the fourth consecutive setback in the postseason against one of the historical teams of Cuban baseball, but that dominance was shattered by the arms of Carlos Juan Viera, Yudiel Rodríguez and Alejandro Meneses, authors of three excellent openings in the bubble of the Cándido González Stadium.
If the pitching managed to string 24 zeros before the rivals, Rafael Viñales and Yordanis Alarcón claimed prominence on the offensive in the fourth game; while in the previous, Andrés de la Cruz, Yosvani Alarcón and Denis Peña had sustained the production of runs.
This Thursday, the 10x2 victory left little doubt that, due to lineup, maturity, and mental strength, the Civil's team is now superior to Eriberto Rosales'. Other than that, it would have been far better for the show if the COVID-19 pandemic allowed both teams to perform at full capacity on the ground.
Like last season, the Crocodiles of Matanzas will be the last obstacle for Las Tunas on the way to the third final in their history. The left-handed Yoenni Yera, champion with the Lumberjacks two years ago, must be Viera's rival from 1:00 in the afternoon on Sunday, in the first clash of a series that will define which of the two teams will play for the trophy of the 60th Series against Granma.
