When morning lights in San Juan find a gap in the Double Tree By Hilton and awaken the first of the Cuban players there will be no shock, this sudden feeling of jumping out of bed, breaking the dream to be inserted in real nightmare that Caribbean Series has become for Cubans, it will not happen.
The event, perhaps to compensate the island for all the historical altruism to the world, its good will, has made the same with us. It was benevolent. Having a negative balance of a lone win with three losses, Cuba has received, without more, a ticket to Saturday’s semifinals. Honestly, if it hadn’t happened, Cuba would be picking up its bags to return home.
Now Pinar del Rio already has a guaranteed berth, has jumped on the bandwagon thanks to the comeback of the Gigantes del Cibao who defeated last night Tomateros de Culiacan. That game, left host Cangrejeros de Santurce without any chance to fight for the qualification who have not won yet, so that Cuba, with its win two days ago gets to the next stage.
Vegueros passes in last place and will confront the leader of the qualifier that it seems it will be the its previous rivals: Caribes de Anzoategui from Venezuela.
The Venezuelan didn’t sweat much to beat the Cubans. Its scathing attack found the Cuban pitching staff weakened and gave no space to doubts, and from early took away on the board and took advantage. Their pitchers, exquisite certainly, gave away nothing, just a couple of homers -the first by Cuba, by Alexander Malleta and Luis A. Valdés. The game ended 6-2 and sent to Cuba again on the tightrope, until the night the Dominicans rapped at the door to say, “hey, you are my brothers, go with me to the semis.”
But beware, now Cuba is back in the game, it was dying and they let her live. By this I do not want to create false expectations, I’m just warning that a baseball game is won by anyone, even two. Although Pinar del Rio has been with no options against its rivals, well below, with one notable difference when they enter the field, now entering the trance where they have always felt more comfortable although it seems absurd: tie-breaks.
The pressure to win has become a player; they have had it with them in the dugout. It is time, therefore, that the tense relationship they have is gone. Now Cuban pitching stars are ready to work, they will see opponents for a second time, same with the lineup. There is everything, the last word is not written. And again I warn: this cannot mean a triumphant drunkenness.
