Lázaro Blanco returned to pitch flawlessly for the Alazanes. Photo: Boris Luis Cabrera.
Another tremendous monticular work by Lázaro “El Caballo” Blanco guided the Alazanes de Granma to win 2-1 against Industriales de la capital in the fifth quarter-final match, to get your ticket to the next phase honoring the pre-competition forecasts.
Blanco, who had already dominated the Blues at will in the second game this post-season, recovered from a shaky first inning and once again silenced the artillery of his opponents, this time for the remainder of the National Series. With six strikeouts delivered in seven innings of work and six undisputed spaced that resulted in a lonely career, the ace of the Eastern rotation showed why many classify him as the best Cuban pitcher in our domestic championships.
A solid line from Carlos Benítez that served to equalize the actions in the same first chapter, and a two-base shot from receiver Iván Prieto two innings later that drove in one, was all the right-hander needed to get his second victory of these. Playoffs An effective job by situational left-hander Miguel Paradelo and closer Carlos Santana by hanging the zero in the ninth episode, completed the work that led Carlos Martí’s troop to get their ticket to the semifinals.
The Industriales, despite having to extract their starter Maikel Taylor after hitting the first two batters, relied on the young Pavel Hernández, who performed a high-ranking relief in front of a respectful slugger, to the point of working 6.1 chapters with only one clean to his records while he liquidated five rivals by the bitter way, but never received the support of his blue cavalry and took defeat.
Key in the game: The two shots from right fielder Alexquemer Sánchez to middle ground to surprise the runners from the capital who were trying to reach an extra base and the excellent handling of the pitchers from the Alazanes management team.
In this way, the Granma residents extend their winning streak in the post-season by achieving victory in their last five appearances in those matches since 2014, and the Lions extend to six the losses they have achieved consecutively since they left through the narrow door in spring 2012.
Now the eastern horses will face the Vegueros de Pinar del Río in the semifinals when the other duels are defined, once the National Baseball Commission resumes the competition.
