The Thruway Cup
The Battle for the I-90
Each year, the International League's closest rivals compete for bragging rights of more than just position in the IL's North Division. Since 1998, the Thruway Cup Series, presented by Hillside Family of Agencies, has pitted the Buffalo Bisons, Rochester Red Wings and Syracuse Chiefs in a battle for the highway that connects them all together.
The three teams are separated by just 150 miles, and through the years have competed in some of the most memorable games in the history of the International League.
Since the inception of the competition, the Buffalo Bisons have enjoyed most of the bragging rights. After watching Rochester win in '98 and Syracuse claim victory in '99, the Herd took over. Buffalo won the Thruway Series in six of the next eight seasons, claiming two Thruway Cups as symbol of their triumph.
Unique to this competition, it was agreed that any team winning the trophy three times would get to "retire" the cup and keep it as their own. Buffalo's back-to-back-to-back victories in 2000-2002 gave the team their first bit of hardware. After winning again in 2004 and 2006, the Bisons put together another victorious season in 2007, allowing them to make a permanent home for a second Thruway Cup trophy at Coca-Cola Field.
The third Thruway Cup was won by the Rochester Red Wings in 2008 and 2009 and then the Chiefs in 2010 and 2011. The Bisons need to win the Cup in each of the next three seasons or one of their rivals will retire it as their own.
***The Bisons have won the 2012 Thruway Cup***
Wins |
Losses |
GB |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Buffalo Bisons
|
19
|
13
|
-
|
Syracuse Chiefs
|
17
|
15
|
E |
Rochester Red Wings
|
12
|
20
|
E |
2012 Thruway Cup Schedule
Date |
Matchup |
Result |
Date
|
Matchup |
Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
April 5 |
Rochester at Syracuse | ROC, 7-4 |
May 14 |
Rochester at Syracuse | SYR, 6-4 |
April 6 |
Rochester at Syracuse | ROC, 3-1 |
July 4 |
Buffalo at Syracuse | SYR, 5-0 |
April 6 |
Buffalo at Rochester | BUF, 4-2 |
July 5 |
Buffalo at Syracuse | BUF, 9-8 (14) |
April 8 |
Buffalo at Rochester | BUF, 5-3 |
July 6 |
Buffalo at Syracuse | BUF, 5-1 |
April 9 |
Buffalo at Rochester | ROC, 3-2 |
July 24 |
Syrcause at Rochester | SYR, 6-1 |
April 10 |
Buffalo at Rochester | ROC, 5-3 |
July 25 |
Syrcause at Rochester | ROC, 5-3 |
April 20 |
Buffalo at Syracuse | BUF, 6-4 |
July 26 |
Syrcause at Rochester | SYR, 17-6 |
April 22(1) |
Buffalo at Syracuse | BUF, 6-1 |
July 27 |
Syrcause at Rochester | SYR, 2-1 |
April 22(2) |
Buffalo at Syracuse | SYR, 1-0 |
Aug. 2 |
Syracuse at Buffalo | SYR, 2-0 |
April 25 |
Syracuse at Rochester | SYR, 10-5 |
Aug. 3 |
Syracuse at Buffalo | BUF, 13-7 |
April 26(1) |
Syracuse at Rochester | SYR, 5-4(8) |
Aug. 4 |
Syracuse at Buffalo | BUF, 1-0 |
April 26(2) |
Syracuse at Rochester | SYR, 3-2 |
Aug. 6(1) |
Buffalo at Syracuse | SYR, 5-4 |
April 27 |
Rochester at Buffalo | BUF, 7-3 |
Aug. 6(2) |
Buffalo at Syracuse | BUF, 4-3 |
April 28 |
Rochester at Buffalo | BUF, 4-3 |
Aug. 7 |
Buffalo at Syracuse | SYR, 4-3 |
April 29 |
Rochester at Buffalo | BUF, 8-2 |
Aug. 25 |
Rochester at Buffalo | BUF, 5-3 |
May 1 |
Syracuse at Buffalo | SYR, 8-0 |
Aug. 26(1) |
Rochester at Buffalo | BUF, 1-0 |
May 2 |
Syracuse at Buffalo | BUF, 5-2 |
Aug. 26(2) |
Rochester at Buffalo | ROC, 11-9 |
May 3 |
Syracuse at Buffalo | BUF, 6-5 |
Aug. 27 |
Rochester at Buffalo | ROC, 6-1 |
May 4 |
Syracuse at Buffalo | BUF, 9-0 |
Aug. 28 |
Rochester at Buffalo | ROC, 10-4 |
May 5(1) |
Buffalo at Rochester | ROC, 2-1 |
Aug. 30 |
Buffalo at Rochester | BUF, 10-3 |
May 5(2) |
Buffalo at Rochester | ROC, 5-0 |
Aug. 31 |
Buffalo at Rochester | BUF, 8-5 |
May 11 |
Rochester at Syracuse | SYR, 8-2 |
Sept. 1 |
Rochester at Syracuse | ROC, 8-4 |
May 12 |
Rochester at Syracuse | SYR, 11-0 |
Sept. 2 |
Rochester at Syracuse | SYR, 8-7 |
May 13 |
Rochester at Syracuse | SYR, 4-2 |
Sept. 3 |
Syracuse at Rochester | ROC, 6-4 |