Thruway Cup Series

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 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 has won the Thruway Series in six of the past eight seasons, claiming the Thruway Cup 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.

2009 Thruway Cup Results

The 2009 Thruway Cup came down to the 48th and final match-up between the three clubs. On Tuesday, September 1, the Buffalo Bisons hosted the Rochester Red Wings at Coca-Cola Field. A Wings' win gave them the Cup, while the Herd could spoil things and give Syracuse their first Thruway Series win since 1999.

On the road, Rochester got it done. A 9-6 win over the Bisons gave the Red Wings a 19-13 record in the Thruway Cup Series. While Syracuse had the same record, Rochester won the head-to-head with the Chiefs 9-7, giving them back-to-back Thruway Cup Championship.

The Thruway Cup now sits at Frontier Field for a second straight year. One more victory, and the Red Wings will get to retire their first Thruway Cup.

2009 Thruway Cup Standings

	Wins	Losses	GB
Red Wings*	19	13	-
Chiefs	19	13	-
Bisons	10	22	9.0

2009 Thruway Cup Schedule

Date	Road	Home	Result
April 9	Rochester	Syracuse	ROC, 7-4
April 10	Rochester	Syracuse	ROC, 9-2
April 11	Syracuse	Rochester	SYR, 3-0
April 12	Syracuse	Rochester	ROC, 8-4
April 17	Bisons	Syracuse	SYR, 3-1
April 18	Bisons	Syracuse	SYR, 6-3
April 19	Bisons	Syracuse	SYR, 7-1
April 20	Bisons	Syracuse	PPD
April 24	Syracuse	Bisons	SYR, 4-0
April 25	Syracuse	Bisons	SYR, 6-5
April 26	Syracuse	Bisons	SYR, 4-0
April 27	Syracuse	Bisons	SYR, 7-1
April 28	Bisons	Rochester	ROC, 1-0
April 29	Bisons	Rochester	PPD
June 6	Syracuse	Rochester	SYR, 3-2
June 7	Syracuse	Rochester	SYR, 11-4
June 8	Syracuse	Rochester	ROC, 4-3 (11)
June 9	Syracuse	Rochester	ROC, 9-8 (10)
June 15 (1)	Bisons	Syracuse	SYR, 4-2
June 15 (2)	Bisons	Syracuse	BUF, 3-2
June 16	Bisons	Syracuse	BUF, 5-4
June 17	Syracuse	Bisons	PPD
June 18	Syracuse	Bisons	PPD
July 2	Rochester	Bisons	PPD
July 3	Rochester	Bisons	ROC, 6-2
July 4	Bisons	Rochester	BUF, 8-3
July 5 (1)	Bisons	Rochester	ROC, 9-5
July 5 (2)	Bisons	Rochester	BUF, 5-0
July 6	Bisons	Rochester	ROC, 7-3
July 7	Rochester	Syracuse	ROC, 7-1
July 8	Rochester	Syracuse	ROC, 9-4
July 9	Rochester	Syracuse	SYR, 2-0
July 10	Rochester	Syracuse	ROC, 6-3
August 10 (1)	Rochester	Bisons	ROC, 8-2
August 10 (2)	Rochester	Bisons	BUF, 8-7 (9)
August 11	Rochester	Bisons	ROC, 8-6
August 12	Rochester	Bisons	BUF, 7-4
August 13	Rochester	Bisons	ROC, 9-4
August 14	Rochester	Syracuse	SYR, 4-3
August 15	Rochester	Syracuse	SYR, 9-3
August 16	Syracuse	Rochester	ROC, 8-1
August 17	Syracuse	Rochester	SYR, 16-5
August 18	Bisons	Syracuse	SYR, 1-0
August 19	Bisons	Syracuse	SYR, 7-3
August 20 (1)	Syracuse	Bisons	SYR, 3-0
August 20 (2)	Syracuse	Bisons	BUF, 2-0
August 21 (1)	Syracuse	Bisons	BUF, 7-2
August 21 (2)	Syracuse	Bisons	SYR, 2-1
August 28	Bisons	Rochester	BUF, 8-7
August 29	Bisons	Rochester	ROC, 5-2
August 30	Bisons	Rochester	ROC, 5-4 (10)
August 31	Rochester	Bisons	BUF, 6-1
September 1	Rochester	Bisons	ROC, 9-6