2014-2015 Cuban National League
The 2014-2015 Cuban National League saw one first-time entry in the finals (Isla de la Juventud, who lost a seven-game series to Ciego de Ávila, which was only in their third finals (though they had won the title just three seasons prior).
In game one of the finals, Ciego de Ávila cruised to a 4-0 win as CF Yoelvis Fiss hit a first-inning grand slam off Ulfrido García; while Luis Manuel Suárez turned in a solid relief (0 R in 6 2/3 IP), it was not enough for Isla de la Juventud as Ismel Jiménez (7 IP), Leorisbel Sánchez and Yunier Cano combined on a shutout. In game 2, the series was evened at 1 as Isla de la Juventud won 6-4 behind Jesús Amador over Vladimir García while Héctor Mendoza notched the save. Jorge Luis Barcelán's 2-run homer off García in the 7th gave Isla de la Juventud its first lead and they held on from there.
In the third game, the Tigres of Ciego de Ávila came roaring back with a 5-2 win; 1B Ariel Borrero was 3 for 5 with a homer and Cano got the win over Yoelkis Cruz. Julio Pablo Martínez goes 3 for 5 in a losing cause. The next game, Isla de la Juventud tied it again with a 7-6, 11-inning win; they trailed 4-0 entering the 7th but scored six in the 7th, only to give up two in the 8th before finally winning it in extra innings. Mendoza got the win with 4 innings of relief while Ariel Díaz was handed the defeat; Díaz was the 7th pitcher for the Tigres.
In game 5, Ciego de Ávila again took a one-game lead, winning 4-3, as Jiménez won his second, beating game 2 victor Amador; Alain Sánchez got the save. Dainier Galvez was 4 for 4 for Isla de la Juventud. Game 6 continued the back-and-forth trend as Isla de la Juventud won 5-3, with CF and leadoff man Julio Pablo Martínez putting on a show (3 for 3, 2B, 2 R). Javier Vázquez Juvier got the win while Alain Sánchez lost and Mendoza saved it. That brought it to a game 7, only the 4th time in the past 24 seasons the finals went 7 games. Ciego de Ávila cruised to a 7-2 win, with 2B Raúl González scoring two and driving in two. Postseason MVP Yander Guevara got the win over Cruz.
Standings[edit]
Team | Classification Phase | Secondary Phase | Manager |
---|---|---|---|
Matanzas | 31-14 | 24-18 | Víctor Mesa |
Granma | 29-26 | 24-18 | Carlos Martí |
Ciego de Ávila | 24-21 | 26-16 | Roger Machado |
Isla de la Juventud | 27-18 | 21-21 | Jose Luis Rodríguez Pantoja |
Pinar del Rio | 24-21 | 24-18 | Alfonso Urquiola |
Industriales | 25-20 | 21-21 | Lázaro Vargas |
Artemisa | 25-20 | 14-28 | Dany Valdespino |
Holguín | 23-22 | 13-29 | Irochis Bartutis |
Sancti Spíritus | 22-23 | -- | Yovani Aragón |
Santiago de Cuba | 21-24 | -- | Luis Larduet |
Las Tunas | 21-24 | -- | Ermidelio Urrutia |
Villa Clara | 21-24 | -- | Ramón Moré Flaquet |
Guantánamo | 19-26 | -- | Jorge Prevot |
Mayabeque | 16-29 | -- | Rigoberto Madera |
Cienfuegos | 16-29 | -- | Jorge Concepción |
Camagüey | 16-29 | -- | Esteban Lombillo |
Playoffs[edit]
- Semi-finals
- Isla de la Juventud 4, Matanzas 2
- Ciego de Ávila 4, Granma 1
- Championship Series
- Ciego de Ávila 4, Isla de la Juventud 3
Leaders[edit]
- Bold indicates either wooden bat record or aluminum bat record (1976-1977 to 1998-1999), Italics indicate Serie Nacional record
Where two teams are listed, the player switched teams at the half
Batting[edit]
Pitching[edit]
All-Star Game[edit]
On December 28, 2014, the 2014-2015 All-Star Game took place at Estadio Martires de Barbados in Bayamo, Granma. The attendance was 10,000. The Occidentales won, 9-4, thanks to a five-run sixth. Lourdes Gourriel Jr. was the big star, going 3 for 5 with a homer and four RBI, while first basemen Alex Malleta and Yunier Mendoza combined for four hits for the victors. Cionel Pérez got the win despite two runs in his lone inning while Norge Ruiz took the defeat.
Award Winners[edit]
The Most Valuable Player (Jugadores más Valiosos) was Alfredo Despaigne of Granma. Alfredo Rodríguez of Isla de la Juventud was the Series' Rookie of the Year (Novatos del Año).
Offensive and Pitching All-Stars were C Yosvani Alarcón (Las Tunas-Artemisa), 1B Yordanis Samón (Granma), 2B Dainier Gálvez (Isla de la Juventud), SS Adrián Moreno (Granma), 3B Michel Enríquez (Isla de la Juventud), LF Urmari Guerra (Granma), CF Roel Santos (Granma), RF Yadiel Hernández (Matanzas), DH Alfredo Despaigne (Granma), RHP Lázaro Blanco (Granma), LHP Yoanni Yera (Matanzas) and RP Danny Aguilera (Isla de la Juventud).
Gold Glove awards went to C Yulexis la Rosa (Villa Clara-Granma), 1B Luis Rivera (Isla de la Juventud), 2B Michael González (Mayabeque-Artemisa), SS Alfredo Rodríguez (Isla de la Juventud), 3B Jefferson Delgado (Matanzas), OF Dairon Blanco (Camagüey-Industriales), OF Orlando Lavandera (Mayabeque-Ciego de Avila), OF Liván Monteagudo (Sancti Spíritus-Artemisa), UT Luis Yander la O (Santiago de Cuba-Matanzas) and P Yander Guevara (Ciego de Avila).
Roger Machado was named Manager of the Year.
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