Las Tunas and Villa Clara Qualify to Final Playoffs

Las Tunas and Villa Clara are the teams qualified to the grand final of the 58th Cuban National Baseball Series after winning both 4-1 their semifinal playoffs

The latter got the final triumph when knocking out 12-2 Sancti Spiritus at home with the second win in this postseason to RHP Fredy Asiel Alvarez, who covered the seven frames surrendering two earned runs, eight hits and three strikeouts.

1B William Saavedra, 2B Carlos Benitez and RF Stayler Hernandez, all reinforcements, shone by the locals with three RBIs apiece.

The loss went to RHP Frank Medina, also his second in this postseason, after allowing 4 runs and three hits in only 2.1 innings.

Meanwhile, Las Tunas earned the other ticket to the final when beating away 4-3 Ciego de Avila in a hard-fought game decided due to an error by RF Oscar Colas on top of the seventh frame.

LHP Yoanni Yera reached his first win in the postseason when allowing three runs, two earned, and ten hits in eight innings, while RHP Yoalkis Cruz earned his second save in this playoff.

RHP Lazaro Blanco took the loss after surrendering in eight innings four runs, one unearned, and 11 hits, including a 3-run homer by catcher and clean-up hitter Yosvani Alarcon in the first frame.

There were offensive highlight to LF Jorge Jhonson and 2B Jorge Aloma, they batted 3 hits each, for Las Tunas, while CF Orlando Lavandera also amounted three hits for the losing side.

The grand final of the 58th Cuban National Series will start next Saturday with an unprecedented duel between Las Tunas and Villa Clara at Julio Antonio Mella stadium. RHPs Erlis Casanova and Alain Sanchez will fight to get the important first victory.