Governors Cup Preview
August 8, 2008 - International League (IL1) News Release
With just over three weeks remaining in the 2008 International League regular season, four teams seem to have a stranglehold on the four playoff slots available, though home field advantage for one first round series as well as the League's best regular season record are still very much up for grabs. The tightest division race is in the IL North, where the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees have taken a 1.5-game lead over Pawtucket. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox for the fourth time in five days last night. Left fielder Ben Broussard homered and drove in three, while top prospect Phil Hughes surrendered just one run in 4.2 innings in his first Triple-A start this year as he battles back from injury. SWB has won 21 of 27 games dating back to July 10, turning a 5.0-game deficit in the division into a lead. The Yankees and PawSox figure to meet in the first round of the postseason, as Pawtucket currently leads the Wild Card chase by 9.0 games over Toledo. The Mud Hens also trail West Division leader Louisville by 9.0 games after being swept by the Bats four-straight this week. Catcher Ryan Hanigan singled home the winning run last night in the bottom of the 10th to complete the sweep for Louisville. The Bats have now won seven straight, surging towards the team's first division title since 2003. It does not appear there will be much drama in the IL South, where Durham enjoys a comfortable 9.5 game advantage. The Bulls have been alone in 1st place since June 5, and no one has been closer than 4.0 games in over six weeks.
The International League Playoffs will begin on September 3 in the home ballparks of the West Division Champion and the Wild Card club. In the IL's predetermined format, the Wild Card club will face the North Division Winner while the West Champion will face the South Division Champion in a best-of-five first round series. Following a pair of games hosted by the Wild Card club and West Division winning clubs, the series will shift to the opponents' stadiums for the final three games as necessary.
The survivors of the two first round battles will advance to the best-of-five Governors' Cup Championship Series to begin on September 9 in the city of either the North Division Champion or Wild Card club. After two games, the series will resume at the home of either the West or South Division Champion on September 11 for the final three games as necessary.
International League Stories from August 8, 2008
- Red Wings Hold Off Indians 3-2 - Indianapolis Indians
- Bulls Edge Braves - Gwinnett Stripers
- Bulls Prevail In Seesaw Affair - Durham Bulls
- Bats Sink Clippers With Historic 7-1 Victory - Louisville Bats
- Hot Wings Keep Streak Going - Rochester Red Wings
- Bisons notes - Buffalo Bisons
- Bisons' Reyes, Donnelly Promoted to Indians - Buffalo Bisons
- Governors Cup Preview - IL1
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