2024-07-07 20:03:27
Text: Cuba News 360 Editorial Team
Photo: RL Hevia
The 63rd National Baseball Series has been much talked about since its beginning in March, although most of the time it has been about events that have little to do with what happens on the playing diamonds. However, the bat-in-hand performance of Santiago native Yoelquis Guibert this Thursday at the Latinoamericano cannot be overlooked.
The tall, indomitable outfielder etched his name in the annals of the national pastime by hitting three home runs at the Coloso del Cerro, contributing to the 10-7 victory of the Wasps over Industriales in the third game of the so-called classic of Cuban baseball.
Marked with the number 7 on his uniform, Guibert became the 112th player to hit three home runs in a single game in the Caribbean championships, according to the archives of statistician Arnelio Álvarez de la Uz. However, he is only the first Santiago native to do so in the legendary Havana stadium, considered the cathedral of Caribbean baseball.
The feat of the third hitter of the team led by Eddy Cajigal, who will soon leave under contract to the Major Baseball League of Venezuela, led his team to victory number 41 in Series 63, with which they secured their presence in the postseason with five games left until the end of the regular season.
In this way, Santiago boards the train where the casts of Pinar del Río and Granma are already located, who guaranteed their tickets to play offs recently. The other team that can do it with just one success is Las Tunas, who could not play yesterday against Artemisa due to the rain.
With only a handful of games left until the end of the qualifying stage, everything seems to indicate that the aforementioned teams will soon be joined by Ciego de Ávila (38-32), Industriales (38-32) and Matanzas (37-33), occupying positions five, six and seven in the standings, in that order.
The battle for the last playoff spot is heated and must be decided in the final days. At the moment, Sancti Spíritus has the last ticket with a 35-35 record, but its defeat against Holguín the day before could prove costly.
The Gallos’ defeat allowed the Indios de Guantánamo to get just half a game closer with their double win on Thursday against the last-place Isla de la Juventud and now they have a record of 34-35 with one game less.
The Azucareros of Villa Clara (34-36) are also very close to the eighth place after recording their third consecutive victory against another bottom team like Cienfuegos.