Cuba wins first Caribbean Series in fifty-five years

It was fifty-five years ago that the Cuban representative Elefantes de Cienfuegos won the last Caribbean Series in which the island participated. After Fidel Castro overthrew the regime of dictator Bautista, the island withdrew from the tournament, making it disappear for ten years. In 1970 the series were reborn and the Dominican Republic took Cuba’s place and Panama was removed from the contestant list. Next to the Dominicans, Mexico was added. Since that change, the Dominican Republic would bring home 19 titles and Mexico 7 in Cuba’s absence.

In 2014 the baseball crazed island returned to this international stage after it was invited to participate as guest. The outcome was not shocking. The representative, Naranjas de Villa Clara, lost all games but one, eliminating itself from the semi-finals.

Actually this year, the Cuban delegation did not do much better in the first round. But they got the one win they needed by beating Puerto Rico. Because of this win, they finished above that country in the standings, giving them the right to advance to the semi finals in which they beat Venezuela 8-4.

In the final Pinar del Rio had to face Tomateros de Culiacan from Mexico.
Pinar de Rio had a team with sixteen reinforcements like Yulieski Gourriel, Alfredo Despaigne and Frederich Cepeda, but was the only team without a major leaguer on it’s roster.

Then the final game itself.

With two outs in the top of the first inning, Cuba got on base thanks to a basehit by Yuliesky Gurriel. Gurriel advanced to second and eventually scored on singles by Alfredo Despaigne and Frederich Cepeda, the meat of the Cuban lineup.

Cuban pitcher Yosvani Torres dominated. In that first inning he retired the side.

In the second inning, Cuba took a 2-0 lead. With one out, William Saavedra singled to center field, followed by a single by Luis Valdes. A single by Luis La O drove him in for the 2-0 lead.

In the next 2.5 innings not really much happened except for the collision of Cuban outfielders Giorbis Duvergel and Alexei Bell. In the fourth inning Mexico’s Maxwell Leon drove a fly ball to right center field. Right fielder Bell was clearly the guy in the better position to catch the ball but due to lack of communication center fielder Duvergel caught the ball and crashed into Bell. Luckily he didn’t drop the ball so the second out of that inning was made.

In the bottom of the fifth, Mexico got on the board. A ground rule double by Joey Meneses, and a 3-1 ground out by Russell Branyan, put Meneses at third. A Texas Leaguer to right field hit by Walter Ibarra drove in Meneses for the 2-1. The Mexicans got runners on second and third but Yosvani Torres pitched out of the jam.

In the top of the eight, Yulieski Gourriel hit a homerun over the left field wall for that much needed insurance run.

In the bottom of the eighth it looked like relief pitcher Livan Moneilo would cruise through the inning. He recorded two quick outs but then gave up a walk to Rico Noel and a single to Maxwell Leon. Moneilo was pulled in favour of Hector Mendoza. Mendoza gave up a single to Eric Farres that brought the Mexicans within one run of Cuba but he got out of the inning without further damage.

Mendoza retired the side in the ninth for the save and the first Cuban win since 1960.

The players of Pinar del Rio go crazy after the final out (photo by AP)