Governors' Cup Finals Preview

Published on September 15, 2009 under International League (IL1) News Release

The 2009 Governors' Cup Finals get underway tonight in Durham, North Carolina in a best-of-five matchup for the International League Championship. In a repeat of last year's finals, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees will defend their Governors' Cup title against the Durham Bulls. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, won its first round series over the Gwinnett Braves 3 games to 1. Dave Miley's club won the first two games on the road at Gwinnett Stadium, and after dropping Game 3 to the Braves, closed out the series Saturday night with a 12-3 victory. Durham, affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, took a five-game series over the Louisville Bats. Charlie Montoyo's Bulls were able to win two out of three games in Louisville to complete the first round series win. Thus, two of the League's most successful franchises of the past ten years will meet in the final playoff series of the decade. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Durham have combined for 14 postseason appearances, 9 trips to the finals, and already 3 Governors' Cup championships since 2000. This year's finals, however, will mark just the second time the two teams have met head-to-head in the playoffs.

The 2008 Governors' Cup Finals produced three of the most memorable finishes the League has ever seen before concluding with a historic victory in Game 4. The first three games of the series each ended in walk-off fashion, with the Yankees taking Games 1 and 2 at home before Durham won a dramatic Game 3. SWB left nothing to chance in the fourth game, exploding for 20 runs to easily clinch their first Governors' Cup.

The entire 2009 Governors' Cup Finals can be viewed online at MILB.TV. The winner of the series will represent the International League in the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game on Tuesday, September 22 versus the Pacific Coast League Champion live on ESPN2.

2009 Finals Mark the Fifth Rematch in League History

For the first time since the International League expanded to 14 teams, and for just the fifth time ever, the Governors' Cup finals will be a rematch from the previous season. In two of the first four "repeat" finals series, the team losing the first year was able to turn the tables the following season. In the other two instances, the second finals produced the same result as the first. IL Hall of Famers Fred "Dixie" Walker and Frank Verdi remain the only two managers in League history to defeat the same team in consecutive Governors' Cup finals, a feat that Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's Dave Miley has an opportunity to accomplish in 2009. Here is a recap of the previous Governors' Cup finals rematches:

1952 Gov. Cup Finals: Rochester (managed by Harry Walker) def. Montreal (managed by Walter Alston) 4 games to 2

1953 Gov. Cup Finals: Montreal (managed by Walter Alston) def. Rochester (managed by Harry Walker) 4 games to 0

1955 Gov. Cup Finals: Rochester (managed by Fred Walker) def. Toronto (managed by Luke Sewell) 4 games to 0

1956 Gov. Cup Finals: Rochester (managed by Fred Walker) def. Toronto (managed by Bruno Betzel) 4 games to 3

1969 Gov. Cup Finals: Syracuse (managed by Frank Verdi) def. Columbus (managed by Don Hoak) 4 games to 1

1970 Gov. Cup Finals: Syracuse (managed by Frank Verdi) def. Columbus (managed by Joe Morgan) 3 games to 1

1996 Gov. Cup Finals: Columbus (managed by Stump Merrill) def. Rochester (managed by Marv Foley) 3 games to 0

1997 Gov. Cup Finals: Rochester (managed by Marv Foley) def. Columbus (managed by Stump Merrill) 3 games to 2

2009 International League Governors' Cup Playoff Preview

September 15, 2009

Page Two

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Defeats Gwinnett in Four Games

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees disposed of the Wild Card Gwinnett Braves in four games to win last week's first round series. The IL North Champions got dominating pitching performances in each of the first two games at Gwinnett. In the opener, it was Romulo Sanchez, who struck out nine and scattered five hits in 5.0 scoreless innings. A three-run 2nd inning was all the offense the Yankees would need in the 3-0 victory. Game 2's starter, Ivan Nova, allowed just one run in 7.0 frames to help Scranton/WB to a 4-1 win. Returning home for Game 3, Freddy Guzman and Juan Miranda clubbed the first two home runs of the series, but the Yankees fell by a score of 8-5. The Yankees responded with a 12-run outburst in Game 4 as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre ended Gwinnett's season with a 12-3 victory. Leading the way with three RBI and two runs scored was IL All-Star infielder Kevin Russo, while Guzman, Miranda, and Chris Stewart each added a pair of RBI in the clincher. The Yankees have gone 9-3 in winning their last three postseason series, which includes taking four out of six away from PNC Field. After winning last year's cup in Durham, the Yankees hope to celebrate the 2009 Governors' Cup title in front of their home fans.

FIRST ROUND STARS FOR SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE

1B Juan Miranda: Hit .333 (5-15) with a double, a homer, and 6 RBI.

OF Austin Jackson: IL Rookie of the Year hit .333 (5-15) with 2 2B, 2 RBI, and 1 SB.

OF/DH Freddy Guzman: Four hits, including a double, a homer, 3 RBI and 2 SB.

SP Romulo Sanchez: 9 strikeouts, 5 hits allowed in 5.0 IP in Game 1 victory.

SP Ivan Nova: Won Game 2 with 7.0-inning, 1-run, 5-strikeout, 1-walk performance.

RP Anthony Claggett: 2 hits, no runs allowed in 4.2 innings of relief; saved Game 1.

Juan Miranda Romulo Sanchez

Durham Goes the Distance to Win First Round Series Over Louisville

For the third straight year, the Durham Bulls won the IL South and have proceeded to defeat the IL West champion in the first round of the playoffs. For the second year in a row, their victim was Louisville, who fell in a back-and-forth five-game struggle. After the Bats went up 3-0 early in Game 1, Durham responded with eight runs in the 5th and 6th innings to surge ahead towards an 8-4 victory. Six of the eight tallies were driven in by Durham's 3-4-5 hitters in the lineup (Joe Dillon, Matt Joyce, and Sean Rodriguez). After dropping the second game 5-2, the Bulls were faced with needing two wins in three games at Louisville Slugger Field. A four-run 4th inning rally sparked Durham to a crucial 4-3 victory in Game 3, but the Bats bounced back and won 10-7 in Game 4. In the fifth and deciding game Sunday evening, Justin Ruggiano went 3-4 with a double and 2 RBI to lead the Bulls to a 5-3 triumph. Durham has taken each of the four postseason series they have played against Louisville dating back to 1998, losing just four games along the way. The last IL team to win the Governors' Cup one year after losing in the finals was Rochester in 1997.

FIRST ROUND STARS FOR DURHAM

OF Justin Ruggiano: Hit .450 (9-20) with two doubles, 4 RBI, and 2 stolen bases.

SS Elliot Johnson: Hit .300 (6-20) with a double and 4 RBI against Louisville.

2B Sean Rodriguez: Four hits, four runs, two stolen bases, and six walks for .524 OBP.

RP Winston Abreu: 0 R in three games; struck out 5 in 3.2 innings and collected 2 saves.

SP Jeremy Hellickson: Struck out 12 batters in 5.2 innings during his Game 1 start.

SP Jason Cromer: Allowed just two runs in 6.0 innings to win Game 3.

Justin Ruggiano Winston Abreu

2009 International League Governors' Cup Playoff Preview

September 15, 2009

Page Three

Governors' Cup Playoff Notes

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees are attempting to become the 12th team in League history to win consecutive Governors' Cups. Durham (2002-03) and Toledo (2005-06) are the most recent clubs to accomplish the feat. Only three teams have won their second Governors' Cup one season after bringing home the franchise's first title - Newark in 1938, Columbus in 1980, and Durham in 2003. The Yankees hope to join that list after winning their first Governors' Cup in 2008.

The Durham Bulls are in the Governors' Cup Finals for the seventh time since joining the IL in 1998, and the fifth time since 2000. They are the eighth team in League history to reach five finals in a decade, joining Syracuse (1940's and 1970's), Montreal (1940's and 1950's), Rochester (1950's), Tidewater (1980's), and Columbus (1990's). Scranton/WB, a team which lost in the first two finals of this decade, are now trying to win the last two.

A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre victory would mark the 16th time the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees has won the Governors' Cup, far outdistancing any other Major League organization. The Brooklyn/LA Dodgers are the next on the list with seven Governors' Cups, followed by the Orioles, Reds, and Mets with six and the Braves, Indians, and Cardinals with five.

Durham has fallen in each of the last two Governors' Cup finals. In 2007, the Bulls lost in five games to Richmond, and last year Durham was defeated by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 3 games to 1. Only one team in IL history has lost the finals in three or more consecutive years. The Columbus Jets came up short in the finals four straight times between 1967 and 1970.

Yankees skipper Dave Miley has a chance to tie the International League record by winning his third Governors' Cup as a manager. The four men that have done it are all members of the IL Hall of Fame: Jewel Ens (Syracuse 1942, 1943, and 1947), Clay Hopper (Montreal 1946, 1947, and 1949), Frank Verdi (Syracuse 1969, 1970, and Columbus 1981), and Joe Altobelli (Rochester 1971, 1974, and Columbus 1980). Miley won his first Cup with Louisville in 2001.

Bulls skipper Charlie Montoyo, a native of Manati, Puerto Rico, has an opportunity to become just the second manager born outside of the United States to win the Governors' Cup championship. Preston Gomez, who hailed from Preston, Cuba, led the Havana Sugar Kings to the Governors' Cup title in 1959. Gomez went on to manage in the big leagues for the Padres, Astros, and Cubs.

IL Champion Headed to Oklahoma City for Triple-A National Championship

The Pacific Coast League Championship will be decided in a best-of-five finals that gets underway tonight in Memphis between the Sacramento River Cats (Oakland A's) and Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals). Memphis swept Albuquerque three-straight in the first round, while Sacramento needed four games to beat Tacoma for a return trip to the PCL Finals. The winner will face the Governors' Cup Champion in the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game live on ESPN2 at 7:00 p.m. eastern on Tuesday, September 22. Oklahoma City's AT&T Bricktown Ballpark will play host to the classification's pinnacle event for the fourth consecutive year. Sacramento is the two-time defending champion, having defeated Richmond (7-1 in 2007) and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (4-1 in 2008). The IL Champion will serve as the "home" team by virtue of the League's victory in the Triple-A All-Star Game.

2009 Governors' Cup Finals

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees vs. Durham Bulls

Durham won season series 5-3

# Game One: Tuesday, September 15 @ Durham Bulls Athletic Park - 7:05 p.m.

# Game Two: Wednesday, September 16 @ Durham Bulls Athletic Park - 7:05 p.m.

# Game Three: Thursday, September 17 @ PNC Field - 7:05 p.m.

# Game Four: Friday, September 18 @ PNC Field - 7:05 p.m. *

# Game Five: Saturday, September 19 @ PNC Field - 1:05 p.m. *

* denotes if necessary / # denotes game can be seen on MiLB.TV (www.MiLB.com)

Playoff History - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre d. Durham (3-1) in 2008 Governors' Cup Finals

International League Stories from September 15, 2009

• Hellickson Leads Bulls To Game One Victory - Durham Bulls
• Governors' Cup Finals Preview - IL1

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