Cuban Baseball Playoffs Begin Today

HAVANA TIMES, April 24 — The first playoff game of the 2011-2012 Cuban Baseball League will be held today in Havana’s Latin American Stadium with the clash between the host Industriales and Cienfuegos teams.

Later in the evening the second game of the Occidental (Western Division) pits Matanzas and the Sancti Spiritus teams in Victoria de Giron Stadium in Matanzas.

On Wednesday, the Oriental (Eastern Divsion) kicks off with face-offs of Las Tunas (HC) vs. Ciego de Avila and Villa Clara (HC) vs. Granma.

The coveted Cuban baseball title will be contested between eight teams in the western and eastern regions.  Two surprising absences are perennial contender Santiago de Cuba, eliminated on Sunday by feeble Mayabeque, and Pinar del Rio, last year’s league champions.