The Thruway Cup
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Battle for the Thruway
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. The three clubs are also the most tenured teams in the IL, each with over 100 seasons under their belts.
Since the inception of the competition, the Buffalo Bisons adnd Rochester Red Wings have each won the Thruway Cup eight times. Syracuse has won the Cup four times.
Thruway Cup Titles
|
Team
|
Championship Seasons
|
|---|---|
| Buffalo Bisons | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2013 |
| Rochester Red Wings | 1998, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2017 |
| Syracuse Chiefs | 1999, 2010, 2011, 2014 |
Retiring the Cup
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 from 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 Syracuse Chiefs with back-to-back victories in 2010 and 2011 and a triumph in 2014. However, it was the most contested Cup in series history, as Rochester won it in 2008 and 2009 and Buffalo in 2012 and 2013.
Rochester has won the fourth Thurway Cup by winning the title in 2015, 2016 and 2017. It's the first time a Thruway Cup team retired a Cup with no other team's name on it.
2017 Thruway Cup Standings
The Rochester Red Wings have clinched the 2017 Thruway Cup Series
|
|
Wins
|
Losses
|
GB
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
*Rochester Red Wings
|
24 |
12
|
-
|
|
Syracuse Chiefs
|
15
|
19
|
8.0
|
|
Buffalo Bisons
|
12
|
20
|
10.0
|
2017 Thruway Cup Schedule & Results
| Date | Game |
Result
|
Date | Game | Result |
| April 8 | Rochester at Syracuse |
ROC, 10-0
|
June 23 | Buffalo at Syracuse | |
| April 9(1) | Rochester at Syracuse |
ROC, 6-2
|
June 24 | Buffalo at Syracuse | |
| April 9(2) | Rochester at Syracuse |
ROC, 10-4
|
June 25 | Buffalo at Syracuse | |
| April 10 | Rochester at Buffalo | June 26(1) | Rochester at Buffalo | ||
| April 11 | Rochester at Buffalo | June 26(2) | Rochester at Buffalo | ||
| April 12 | Rochester at Buffalo | June 27 | Rochester at Buffalo | ||
| April 13 | Rochester at Buffalo | June 28 | Rochester at Buffalo | ||
| April 14 | Syracuse at Rochester |
SYR, 3-2
|
June 29 | Rochester at Buffalo | |
| April 16(1) | Syracuse at Rochester |
ROC, 10-6
|
June 30 | Syracuse at Buffalo | |
| April 16(2) | Syracuse at Rochester |
SYR, 7-6
|
July 1 | Syracuse at Buffalo | |
| May 3(1) | Rochester at Buffalo | July 2 | Syracuse at Buffalo | ||
| May 3(2) | Rochester at Buffalo | July 3 | Syracuse at Buffalo | ||
| May 8 | Buffalo at Syracuse | July 7 | Syracuse at Rochester |
ROC, 9-3
|
|
| May 9 | Buffalo at Syracuse | July 8 | Syracuse at Rochester |
ROC, 2-0
|
|
| May 10 | Buffalo at Syracuse | July 9 | Syracuse at Rochester |
ROC, 8-2
|
|
| May 15 | Syracuse at Buffalo | Aug. 4(1) | Rochester at Syracuse |
SYR, 2-1
|
|
| May 16 | Syracuse at Buffalo | Aug. 4(2) | Rochester at Syracuse |
ROC, 3-2
|
|
| May 17 | Syracuse at Buffalo | Aug. 5 | Rochester at Syracuse |
SYR, 9-4
|
|
| May 18 | Syracuse at Buffalo | Aug. 6 | Rochester at Syracuse |
ROC, 8-4
|
|
| June 8 | Syracuse at Rochester |
SYR, 3-2
|
Aug. 25 | Buffalo at Rochester | |
| June 9 | Syracuse at Rochester |
ROC, 9-3
|
Aug. 26 | Buffalo at Rochester | |
| June 10 | Syracuse at Rochester |
SYR, 8-6
|
Aug. 27 | Buffalo at Rochester | |
| June 11 | Syracuse at Rochester |
ROC, 6-5
|
Sept. 1 | Buffalo at Syracuse |
|
| June 19 | Buffalo at Rochester | Sept. 2 | Buffalo at Syracuse |
|
|
| June 20 | Buffalo at Rochester | Sept. 3 | Buffalo at Syracuse |
|
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| June 21 | Buffalo at Rochester | Sept. 4 | Buffalo at Syracuse |
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| June 22 | Buffalo at Syracuse |