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IL1 International League

Governors' Cup Finals Begin Tonight

September 11, 2012 - International League (IL1) News Release


The 2012 Governors' Cup Finals get underway tonight in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in a best-of-five matchup for the International League Championship. The finals pit a pair of franchises seeking their third Governors' Cup and first in over in a decade. The Pawtucket Red Sox, hosts of Games 1 and 2, won the Wild Card this season and proceeded to knock off the North Division champion Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in the first round to advance to the finals for the first time since 2003. Pawtucket won the Governors' Cup in 1973 and again in 1984. Their opponents are the South Division winners, the Charlotte Knights, who bested West champion Indianapolis in four games to return to the finals for the first time since winning the franchise's second Cup in 1999. The Knights also won the Governors' Cup in their inaugural season in the International League in 1993.

The Governors' Cup presentation will take place at Knights Stadium, where the finals will shift for the final three games as necessary beginning Thursday. The prevailing team will have one last goal - to bring home the International League's fourth straight Triple-A Baseball National Championship.

Charlotte vs. Pawtucket - Reviewing the Regular Season Series

The Knights and PawSox met in a pair of four-game series during the regular season, with Charlotte winning five of the eight contests. In late June the Knights came to Pawtucket and took three out of four games at McCoy Stadium, including a pair of shutouts against the PawSox. The two teams got together again in Charlotte two months later. The Knights won the first two games and clinched the South Division flag on August 24, but the PawSox bounced back and salvaged a split as they pushed towards the Wild Card. Charlotte and Pawtucket have never met in the postseason.

June 26-29, 2012 at McCoy Stadium (Pawtucket, Rhode Island)

Date Result Winning Pitcher Losing Pitcher Key Performance

June 26 Charlotte 8, Pawtucket 0 Matt Zaleski Billy Buckner Drew Garcia (CHA) 2-4, 2B, HR

June 27 Pawtucket 5, Charlotte 1 Zach Stewart Charlie Leesman Nate Spears (PAW) 2-4, 2B, R

June 28 Charlotte 1, Pawtucket 0 (11) Donnie Veal Will Latimer Greg Golson (CHA) Game-winning HR in 11th

June 29 Charlotte 5, Pawtucket 2 Gregory Infante Doug Mathis Drew Garcia (CHA) 3-4, HR

August 23-26, 2012 at Knights Stadium (Fort Mill, South Carolina)

Date Result Winning Pitcher Losing Pitcher Key Performance

August 23 Charlotte 2, Pawtucket 1 Charlie Leesman Zach Stewart Conor Jackson (CHA) 1-3, HR, 2 RBI

August 24 Charlotte 2, Pawtucket 1 Matt Zaleski Steven Wright Greg Golson (CHA) 2-4, R

August 25 Pawtucket 4, Charlotte 3 Billy Buckner Scott Carroll Tony Thomas (PAW) 3-5, HR, 2 RBI

August 26 Pawtucket 5, Charlotte 4 Daniel Bard Anthony Carter Danny Valencia (PAW) 2-3, 2 RBI

First Round Recap: How We Got Here

Offense Leads Knights to First Round Series Victory over Indianapolis

The International League's top two pitching staffs faced off when Charlotte took on Indianapolis in the first round, but the series would ultimately be won thanks to a healthy dose of hitting by the Knights. Charlotte got right to it in Game 1, scoring three times in the 1st inning and adding three more in the 6th. Indiana-native Josh Phegley hit a two-run homer in the 8th to put the game away, 8-1. Game 2 would be the highest scoring postseason affair the International League has seen in at least 22 years. The Knights jumped out in front again, going up 9-0 thanks in part to another homer by Phegley. Indianapolis then came storming back, and Charlotte barely held off the Tribe to win the wild contest 14-13. With their backs against the wall in Game 3, the Indians turned to Phil Irwin who masterfully led an 8-0 shutout of the Knights to extend the series to a fourth game. A near two-hour rain delay Saturday night didn't stop Charlotte from clinching the series in Game 4, nor did a furious post-midnight 9th inning rally by the Indians. Starter Matt Zaleski took a 6-1 lead into the 9th, but Indy scored three times and had the tying run at second base when Santos Rodriguez struck out Chase d'Arnaud to give Charlotte its first postseason series win in 13 years.

FIRST ROUND STARS FOR CHARLOTTE

C Josh Phegley: Indiana-native burned Indians with .429 average, 2 homers, 6 RBI.

2B Drew Garcia: Led Knights with three doubles and six runs scored.

OF/DH Greg Golson: Hit .353 with a home run and 4 RBI.

SP Charlie Leesman: Won Game 1 with 8.0 IP, six hits, one run, six strikeouts.

RP Santos Rodriguez: 4 strikeouts in 2.0 scoreless innings with one win and one save.

SP Matt Zaleski: Went 8.1 innings in Game 4 clincher for the Knights.

Josh Phegley Charlie Leesman

Not Quite a Sweep, but Red Sox Defeat Yankees to Advance to Finals

Last season Pawtucket won the North Division but fell in their first round series against the Wild Card team. This year the PawSox turned the tables, and as the Wild Card entrant they knocked off the North champion Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees to advance to the finals. Pawtucket rallied from a four-run deficit to score seven unanswered runs in the first game and defeat the Yankees 7-4. The PawSox played come-from-behind again in Game 2, turning an early 2-0 affair into a 3-2 victory. The series shifted to Rochester for Game 3, the postseason home of the SWB Yankees while PNC Field continues its season-long renovation. This time it was Pawtucket jumping out to a 2-0 lead, and despite taking a 3-1 advantage into the bottom of the 9th, the Sox couldn't complete the sweep. One out from elimination SWB's Melky Mesa hit a walk-off home run off of Pedro Beato to win the game 4-3. The PawSox left little to chance in Game 4, scoring seven times in the 2nd inning including a three-run blast from Danny Valencia. Nelson Figueroa worked 8.0 strong innings to help secure the 7-1 series clinching victory for Pawtucket.

FIRST ROUND STARS FOR PAWTUCKET

OF Bryce Brentz: Led PawSox with six hits, two homers, five RBI and four runs scored.

OF J.C. Linares: Hit .417 with a home run, triple, four walks and three runs scored.

OF Jason Repko: .364 average with a stolen base.

SP Nelson Figueroa: Went 8.0 innings to win Game 4 with eight SO and just two hits.

SP Billy Buckner: 6.1 scoreless innings in Game 3, allowed just one hit with seven SO.

RP Jose De La Torre: Saved Games 1 and 2; struck out four in 1.2 innings pitched.

Bryce Brentz Jose De La Torre

2012 International League Governors' Cup Finals Preview

Governors' Cup Playoff Notes

Both finals participants have won the Governors' Cup on two previous occasions. Charlotte's first title came as the Triple-A farm team of the Cleveland Indians. Manager Charlie Manuel led the 1993 Charlotte Knights to the Cup during the franchise's first season as a member of the International League. Six years later Tom Spencer guided the Knights to their second Governors' Cup in a memorable finals against cross-state rival Durham. The 1999 season was Charlotte's first partnered with the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox were previously affiliated with one other Governors' Cup champion, the 1963 Indianapolis Indians.

Before 1993, the last franchise to win the Governors' Cup in the city's first season as a member of the International League was Pawtucket in 1973. Manager Darrell Johnson led Jim Rice and the Red Sox past Charleston, managed that season by another PawSox legend, Joe Morgan. The only other Cup for Pawtucket came in 1984 when Tony Torchia guided the Sox to a finals victory over the Maine Guides in five games. The current PawSox active roster includes 16 players who were not yet born when the club last hoisted the Governors' Cup.

The opposing managers in this year's finals are both making their second appearance in the IL postseason but first trip to the finals. Joel Skinner was the skipper of the 2000 Buffalo Bisons team that won 86 games before losing to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the first round. Arnie Beyeler's PawSox won the 2011 North Division title but lost to Lehigh Valley in the first round.

As the Knights try to close out a remarkable 2012 season, attention will turn to the future uptown Charlotte home of the club. Groundbreaking for the new BB&T Ballpark is scheduled for Friday, September 14, the day after Game 3 and the same day that Game 4 will take place (if necessary) at Knights Stadium in nearby Fort Mill, South Carolina. BB&T Ballpark will open in 2014.

The North Division has produced just one Governors' Cup champion in the last seven seasons (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2008). The South has two titles during the same span (Richmond in 2007; Durham in 2009).

Currently six of the IL's fourteen franchises are affiliated with National League teams, though it is guaranteed that once again the Governors' Cup will be presented to an American League affiliate. National League partners have won the Cup just once since 2002 (Richmond, 2007 - Atlanta).

IL Champion Headed to Durham for Gildan Triple-A National Championship

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE FINALS (Best of 5 Series Begins Tonight)

Reno Aces Omaha Storm Chasers

Regular Season: 81-63 Regular Season: 83-61

First Round: Def. Sacramento 3-2 First Round: Def. Albuq. 3-2

Affiliate: Arizona Diamondbacks Affiliate: Kansas City Royals

2012 Governors' Cup Finals

Charlotte Knights vs. Pawtucket Red Sox

Charlotte won Season Series 5-3

Game One: Tuesday, September 11 @ McCoy Stadium - 7:05 p.m.

Game Two: Wednesday, September 12 @ McCoy Stadium - 7:05 p.m.

Game Three: Thursday, September 13 @ Knights Stadium - 7:15 p.m. Game Four: Friday, September 14 @ Knights Stadium - 7:15 p.m. *

Game Five: Saturday, September 15 @ Knights Stadium - 7:15 p.m. *

* denotes "if necessary" - - - all games available on

Playoff History - Charlotte and Pawtucket have never met in the Governors' Cup playoffs.

CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS (83-61) PAWTUCKET RED SOX (79-65)

Manager: Joel Skinner (1st season with Knights) Manager: Arnie Beyeler (2nd season with PawSox)

Affiliate: Chicago White Sox Affiliate: Boston Red Sox

Qualified: South Division Champion (+9.0) Qualified: Wild Card Winner (+3.5)

Last Time in Playoffs: 2006 Last Time in Playoffs: 2011

Gov. Cup Playoff Record: 5 yrs. / 15-15 (.500) Gov. Cup Playoff Record: 14 yrs. / 31-50 (.383)

Last Governors' Cup: 1999 Last Governors' Cup: 1984

Probable Starting Pitchers: Probable Starting Pitchers:

G1: LH Charlie Leesman (12-10, 2.47 ERA) G1: RH Steven Wright (0-1, 3.15 ERA)

G2: RH Andre Rienzo (4-3, 3.27 ERA at Double-A) G2: RH Zach Stewart (3-5, 3.94 ERA)

G3: RH Charlie Shirek (11-5, 3.65 ERA) G3: RH Nelson Figueroa (12-5, 3.89 ERA)

G4: To Be Determined G4: LH Chris Hernandez (1-4, 3.59 ERA)

G5: To Be Determined G5: RH Billy Buckner (8-6, 3.91 ERA)

Knights 2012 Team Statistics & Rankings: PawSox 2012 Team Statistics & Rankings:

Runs Scored: 626 (7th) Runs Scored: 654 (4th)

Batting Average: .254 (9th) Batting Average: .266 (3rd)

Home Runs: 105 (9th) Home Runs: 133 (2nd)

Stolen Bases: 84 (10th) Stolen Bases: 91 (6th)

Runs Allowed: 524 (2nd) Runs Allowed: 553 (3rd)

ERA: 3.15 (2nd) ERA: 3.43 (4th)

Strikeouts: 1,111 (3rd) Strikeouts: 1,074 (4th)

Shutouts: 13 (3rd) Shutouts: 10 (T-9th)

Players to Watch: Players to Watch:

OF Greg Golson 1B Andy LaRoche

Led Knights with 29 doubles, 7 triples, and 20 steals. Veteran of over 400 MLB games with Dodgers, Pirates, A's.

1B Seth Loman OF Che-Hsuan Lin

Slugged 16 HR with 58 RBI for Double-A Birmingham. Led Pawtucket in 2012 with 15 stolen bases (caught 4x).

RHP Jhan Marinez RHP Nelson Figueroa

Went 2-0 with 4 saves, 0.00 ERA in nine August games. Won Wild Card clincher and first round clincher in Game 4.

LHP Charlie Leesman OF Jeremy Hazelbaker

Game 1 starter has 2.10 ERA on the road this season. Led Double-A Portland this season with 19 home runs.

C Josh Phegley RHP Billy Buckner

All-Star catcher hit .304 with 5 HR and 15 RBI in August. Defeated just once in last eight weeks.

2012 GILDAN TRIPLE-A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Tuesday, September 18 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Durham, North Carolina

FOLLOW THE CHAMPIONSHIP ON TWITTER

@KnightsBaseball @PawSox @DurhamBulls (Championship Game Host)

#KnightFever #allPAWSondeck #TripleAChampionship

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International League Stories from September 11, 2012


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