The Cocodrilos of Matanzas and the Leñadores of Las Tunas will play from today until next Sunday in an attractive duel corresponding to the 63rd National Baseball Series in Cuba.
The Cocodrilos will host the reigning champions of baseball in Cuba and second in the current standings, two and a half runs behind the Vegueros of Pinar del Río in a match that will arouse emotions.
Rivals in several play offs, the most recent in the semi-final of the 62nd season with a six-game victory (4-2) in favour of the Leñadores, the contests between the two teams in recent years have been characterised by adrenaline on the diamonds and a highly attractive dispute for the fans due to the quality of the players involved.
The clash that will start today has different nuances, as on the one hand the Crocodiles will be looking to stay in the top eight of the table as they are in seventh place with only one game ahead of ninth place, occupied by the Wasps, while the Eastern team will try to achieve smiles that will catapult them into the upper zone of the table.
Backed by a productive offence that averages .314 (fourth best in the series) including 42 homers (third in the standings), Armando Ferrer’s team will try to emulate the recent good performance against the Wasps, which earned them three wins in a row and dominate the particular commitment in order to tilt the match in their favour.
For their part, the Leñadores, with an offensive average of .319 (third), 4.97 runs allowed per game (sixth) and a defensive average of .967, also good for sixth place overall, show a stable balance in all areas of the game, which a priori seems to tilt the sub-series in their favour, but which they must prove on the pitch at the Coloso Matanzas.
In other matches of interest, the leaders Vegueros will host the Azucareros de Villa Clara in an attempt to stay at the top, Leones de Industriales versus Toros de Camagüey will fight in the middle zone to avoid relegation and Gallos de Sancti Spíritus-Avispas de Santiago de Cuba will fight to the death to get closer to the top eight, a position that is currently alien to both of them.
