Cuban Baseball Season Begins

Yulexis la Rosa decidió con doble el choque inaugural para los campeones de Cuba. (Foto: C. Vilches / baseballdecuba.com)
Yulexis la Rosa decidió con doble el choque inaugural para los campeones de Cuba. (Foto: C. Vilches / baseballdecuba.com)

HAVANA TIMES — Freddy Asiel Alvarez won a close 2-1 game against Matanzas in the official debut of the 2013-2014 Cuban baseball season on Sunday in Santa Clara. The star pitcher was not at his best but managed to go 6.2 innings allowing only 5 hits and an unearned run.

In the duel between the two finalists in last’s season’s playoffs, defending champion Villa Clara scored the decisive run on a double by Yulexis la Rosa with Yenier Perez on base .

In other action on Sunday: Santiago de Cuba opened with a 6-3 win at home over Industriales; Las Tunas shutout Artemisa 7-0; Mayabeque won 4-3 over Cienfuegos; Granma defeated Camaguey 4-3; Holguín 2-1 over Ciego de Avila; Sancti Spiritus 6-5 over Guantanamo; and the game between Isla de la Juventud and Pinar del Río was rained out.

See the full schedule of the Cuban baseball season for its 45-game first phase.