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| Azucareros de Villa Clara | ||||
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| Information | ||||
| League | Cuban National Series (East League Group D) | |||
| Location | Santa Clara | |||
| Ballpark | Estadio Augusto César Sandino | |||
| Founded | 1961 | |||
| Nickname(s) | Naranjas (Oranges) | |||
| League championships | 8 (1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1982–83, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2012–13) | |||
| Colors | Orange, black and white | |||
| 2009-2010 | 50-39 : Group D classified. Lost to Ciego de Avila in the playoffs. | |||
| Manager | Ramón Moré | |||
| Uniforms | ||||
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The Azucareros de Villa Clara (Villa Clara Sugarmakers) is a baseball club that plays in the Cuban National Series.
Based in Santa Clara, the Naranjas have been one of the league's most successful Cuban squads over the last 30 years; winning championships in 1983, as well as three-year run from 1993 to 1995. They also lost the 1996, 2003, 2004 and 2010 finals to the Industriales. Orange, white and black are their colors; although they have three different colors, the orange is what represents them, even though teams like Sancti Spíritus Gallos also wore orange uniforms.
Eight Villa Clara's players have been members of the Cuba national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic. Ariel Borrero, Luis Borroto, Eduardo Paret and Ariel Pestano were on the roster in the 2006 tournament, while Leonys Martín, Eduardo Paret, Yolexis Ulacia and Pestano were in 2009.
History
Villa Clara was known as the Azucareros (sugar-makers) when Ciego de Ávila, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spíritus and Villa Clara were all represented by a single team.
The name Azucareros was to represent the workers of all sugar mills in Cuba. Under this name, the team won three championships in 1969, 1971 and 1972. After the separation of the teams, the Villa Clara club was known as La Naranja Mecánica (The Clockwork Orange) or Las Naranjas Explosivas (The Explosive Oranges) which are other nicknames, but not official. With the Naranjas moniker, Villa Clara won the National Series in 1983, led by Eduardo Martín Saura, and three consecutive years from 1993 through 1995 guided by Pedro Jova.
On June 18, 2013 Villa Clara defeated Matanzas by a score of 7–4, clinching their first league championship since the 1994–1995 season.
Cuban National Series MVPs
- Modesto Verdura (P) (Azucareros)
- Antonio Muñoz 1B (Azucareros)
- Isidro Pérez P (Azucareros)
- Amado Zamora RF (Villa Clara)
- Oscar Machado LF (Villa Clara)
Other notable players
- Rolando Arrojo
- Ariel Borrero (1B)
- Luis Borroto (P)
- Aledmys Díaz
- Yandy Díaz
- Leonys Martin
- Víctor Mesa (OF)
- Eliecer Montes de Oca (P)
- Eduardo Paret (SS)
- Ariel Pestano (C)
- Jorge Toca
Defectors
Several Villa Clara players have left Cuba to play in the Major Leagues.
- Rolando Arrojo
- Yuniesky Betancourt
- Liván Hernández
- Dayán Viciedo
- Leonys Martin
- Aledmys Díaz
- Yandy Díaz