Pinar del Río reacted this Saturday and, after falling in the first three games, defeated the national champion Las Tunas with a resounding 6-0 on their rivals' field, thus achieving a victory that keeps their hopes alive in the grand final of the National Baseball Series in Cuba.
"It was another do-or-die game. For us, there is no tomorrow. We managed to score runs in the early innings and maintained the lead. The offense connected better and Valle's pitching was excellent. We will come out just as combative tomorrow on the Mella field," said Alexander Urquiola, director of Pinar del Río, at a press conference.
The performance of the vueltabajeros before a packed Julio Antonio Mella stadium was the work of the starter Mario Valle, who allowed only four hits in seven innings. Valle struck out five batters, walked three, and managed to retire twelve men in a row.
“Today was the most important game of the championship. I prepared for it, I worked with the psychologist: looking at the opponent, studying him, seeing how he made connections. At the beginning of this season, I didn’t achieve the best results because I had a blister on a finger, but it has healed now and the expected performance is coming through,” he commented at the end of the match.
During the game, William Saavedra hit his 28th home run in postseason, surpassing the legendary Omar Linares.
“By hitting home run number 27 yesterday, it gave me more confidence, and today I went out with full confidence, the kind that the manager and everyone have given me. Before the game started, I said as the team captain that this is for whoever wins four. The one who does it best will be the one to succeed,” Saavedra assured.
Pinar del Río opened fire in the second inning against Eliander Bravo's pitches when Mario Lázaro Sánchez hit a home run with a man on base.
One episode later, Saavedra hit the home run. A single by Juan Carlos Arencibia in the eighth against Keniel Ferraz brought in the fifth run for the Pinar players. The sixth came in the ninth with a hit by Taylon Sánchez with Anier Pérez on the mound.
Eliander Bravo lost the game, with four earned runs against him.
Sports media reports that the keys for Pinar in the game were the offense (15 hits) and the dominance of the pitching, allowing only four hits from the powerful Tunera offense and retiring 18 men in a row.
This Sunday, at two in the afternoon, both teams will compete in the fifth match of the final.
The hosts will go for the championship, while the team from Pinar del Río will try for a victory that allows them to return to their home ground.
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