2023-06-19 21:10:37
Only those of us who persist in going to July 26 every day, under the inclement sun or the threatening rain, know how much these 38 victories are worth. The Hunters finished the 61st National Baseball Series in 14th place, and their new manager maintained that the purpose in 62nd would not be to improve that position, but to qualify… and today they are third!
Of course the feat is about. Maybe tomorrow, Wednesday, after the game against the Gallos de Sancti Spíritus, we will know they are already included in the playoffs.
It’s been a tough battle almost to the end of the photo finish. It was time to do their homework against Guantanamo, and they did it: they won the subseries 4-1. True, it was not easy at all, but Artemisa string victories and achieved it.
First they won 9-3, with a shoulder shot from Israel Sánchez, the most accurate intermediate reliever and even closer, but who asked Yulieski González for the ball to open the match… and he did it wonderfully.
That day the batch of fourth, fifth and sixth bats stood out, driving all of them: Jiménez drove in two with a home run, Rodmy Proenza drove in three with a double and walk, and Pachecho the rest thanks to a home run with bases loaded.
Thursday’s double bill began with a 6-1 victory and a formidable performance by lefty Geonel Gutiérrez, the pitcher excluded from the Central American team, despite being the leader in wins, with nine victories, and in strikeouts, with 86. He has given two grouts (a perfect game), they hit for a 244 average, a 1.18 whip and a 2.85 earned run average in 91.2 innings.
His teammates supported him, especially Yoan Moreno, who hit a triple and two homers, one with the bases loaded.
At the second hour, they gave up 1-2. The other ace of the pitching from Artemisa, Yunieski García, only scored one run. But that afternoon there were no arrows from the Hunters.
Then came a hard-fought 7-5 victory and, at the end, a 14-10 score.
Who would have imagined that they would be able to get on the podium? If in the previous campaign they reached 27 wins, in this one they already add up to 38, not counting the pending match they played at the close at the Nelson Fernández against Mayabeque, nor the one on Wednesday against Sancti Spíritus on July 26.
Only Santiago de Cuba and Las Tunas are ahead, with Cocodrilos, Gallos and Industriales very close in average, the same four and a half games from the top.
It’s not all over yet, but sleep is ready, probably to the crow of a Rooster.
#feat #ready