W: RHP Kyle Zimmer L: Celestino S: Collins
Final: Marrero flies out to right field to end the game. The Omaha Storm Chasers are the 2014 Triple-A National Champions as they defeat the Pawtucket Red Sox 4-2.
Bottom 9th, 2 outs: Brown pops out to second base for the second out of the inning. Deven Marrero is now at the plate as the last chance for the Red Sox.
Bottom 9th, 1 out: Cecchini grounds out to second base to leadoff the bottom of the ninth inning. Corey Brown is now at the plate.
Bottom 9th: Southpaw pitcher Tim Collins is now on to try and notch the save for the Storm Chasers.
Middle 9th: Ciriaco lines out to left field to end the inning. Valdez has now thrown 22 pitches and 14 of them have been strikes. Garin Cecchini, Corey Brown and Deven Marrero are due up for the Red Sox in the bottom of the ninth inning. Omaha leads 4-2.
Top 9th, 2 outs: Merrifield flies out to left field for the second out of the inning. Pedro Ciriaco is now batting.
Top 9th, 1 out: Janish grounds out to the pitcher to leadoff the inning. Whit Merrifield is now batting.
Top 9th: Valdez is back out for his second inning of work.
End 8th: Omaha is 65-4 when leading after the eighth inning this season.
End 8th: Brentz pops out to second base to end the inning. Triggs has now thrown 35 pitches tonight and 22 of them have been strikes. Paul Janish, Whit Merrifield and Pedro Ciriaco are due up for the Storm Chasers in the top of the ninth inning. Omaha leads 4-2.
Bottom 8th, 2 outs: Lavarnway strikes out looking on a questionable call. It's the third time Lavarnway has struck out tonight. Bryce Brentz is now batting as the tying run.
Bottom 8th, 1 out: Shaw records his third hit of the game with a line drive single to left field. Lavarnway is now at the plate as the tying run.
Bottom 8th, 1 out: Triggs gets De Jesus to strikeout to leadoff the frame. Travis Shaw is now batting.
Bottom 8th: Triggs is back out for his second inning of work.
Middle 8th: Bocock pops out to first base to end the inning. Valdez threw twelve pitches in that frame and eight of them were strikes. Ivan De Jesus, Travis Shaw and Ryan Lavarnway are due up for the Red Sox in the bottom of the eighth inning. Omaha leads 4-2.
Top 8th, 2 outs:Fields grounds out to third base for the second out of the inning. Brian Bocock is now at the plate.
Top 8th, 1 out: Cuthbert strikes out to leadoff the inning. Matt Fields is now at the plate.
Top 8th: Righty Jose Valdez is now on to pitch for the Red Sox.
End 7th: Castillo strikes out looking on a questionable strike call to end the seventh inning. Triggs threw 16 pitches in that frame and ten of them were strikes. Cheslor Cuthbert, Matt Fields and Brian Bocock are due up for the Storm Chasers in the top of the eighth inning. Omaha leads 4-2.
Bottom 7th, 2 out: Henry grounds out to second base for the second out of the bottom of the seventh inning. Rusney Castillo is now batting.
Bottom 7th, 1 out: Triggs gets Marrero to strikeout swinging to leadoff the bottom of the seventh inning. Justin Henry is now at the plate.
Bottom 7th: Righty Andrew Triggs is now on to pitch for the Storm Chasers.
Middle 7th: Eibner strikes out swinging to end the inning. Celestino threw 16 pitches in that frame and eleven of them were strikes. Deven Marrero, Justin Henry and Rusney Castillo are due up for the Red Sox in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Top 7th, 2 outs: Orlando strikes out swinging for the second out of the inning. Brett Hayes follows with a 2-run homer to give Omaha a 4-2 lead.
Top 7th, 1 out: Lavarnway comes out to the mound to chat with Celestino.
Top 7th, 1 out: Whit Merrifield tries to stretch a single into a double to leadoff the inning but gets thrown out by Pawtucket left fielder Bryce Brentz. Ciriaco follows with a single to left field. Paulo Orlando is now at the plate.
Top 7th: Miguel Celestino is now on to pitch for the Red Sox.
End 6th: Zimmer gets Brown to strike out swinging to end the inning. Zimmer has thrown 28 pitches and 18 of them have been strikes. Whit Merrifield, Pedro Ciriaco and Paulo Orlando are due up for the Storm Chasers in the top of the seventh inning. Game is tied at 2-2.
Bottom 6th, 2 out: Zimmer just drilled Garin Cecchini in the elbow with a 93 mph fastball. Corey Brown due up now for the Red Sox.
Bottom 6th, 2 out: Zimmer bounces back from homer and strikes out Ryan Lavarnway swinging to record the first out of the bottom of the sixth inning, and follows that by getting Bryce Brentz to fly out to center field for the second out.
Bottom 6th: Travis Shaw launches a 3-0 pitch over the right field fence to tie the game at 2-2.
Bottom 6th: Zimmer is back out for his second inning of work.
Middle 6th: Janish flies out to center field to end the top of the sixth inning. Hinojosa threw 18 pitches and nine of them were strikes. Travis Shaw, Ryan Lavarnway and Bryce Brentz are due up for the Red Sox in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Top 6th, 2 outs: Bocock draws a two-out walk. Paul Janish is due up.
Top 6th, 2 out: Cuthbert lines out to second base and Matt Fields flies out to center field for the first two outs of the inning.
Top 6th: Right-handed pitcher Dalier Hinojosa is on to pitch for Pawtucket.
End 5th: Cheslor Cuthbert, Matt Fields and Brian Bocock are due up for the Storm Chasers in the top of the sixth inning.
End 5th: Zimmer hurls a 1-2-3 frame. Got De Jesus to strike out swinging to end the inning. Zimmer threw 11 pitches and eight of them were strikes.
Bottom 5th, 2 out: Rusney Castillo strikes out. Ivan De Jesus is due up.
Bottom 5th, 1 out: Zimmer gets Justin Henry to ground out to second base to leadoff the bottom of the fifth inning.
Bottom 5th: Omaha will send righty Kyle Zimmer to the mound.
Middle 5th: When play resumes, Justin Henry, Rusney Castillo and Ivan De Jesus will be due up for the Pawtucket Red Sox in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Middle 5th: The tarp is coming off. Play should resume at 10:10pm ET.
Middle 5th: We are now in a rain delay. Omaha leads 2-1.
Middle 5th: Escobar has thrown 82 pitches and 54 of them have been strikes. That might have been his last inning of work.
Middle 5th: Omaha successfully executes a double steal, but Brett Eibner flies out to left field to end the top of the fifth inning.
Top 5th, 2 out: Pawtucket catcher Ryan Lavarnway comes out to the mound to talk with Escobar. He gets Hayes to strikeout on the next pitch.
Top 5th, 1 out: Orlando draws a walk. Brett Hayes is due up for the Storm Chasers with runners at first and second base.
Top 5th, 1 out: Whit Merrifield leads off the inning by striking out swinging. Pedro Ciriaco follows with a double to center field. Paulo Orlando is due up with one out in the inning.
End 4th: There was just a big crack of thunder at the ballpark. Some fans are heading for the exits.
End 4th: Binford's final line: 3 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, K. 43 pitches (26 strikes).
End 4th: Marrero just misses a two-run homer to left field, but it's caught at the wall by Whit Merrifield. Omaha leads 2-1 heading into the fifth inning.
Bottom 4th, 2 outs: Corey Brown pops out to second base for the second out of the bottom of the fourth inning. Cecchini remains at first base with Deven Marrero due up to bat.
Bottom 4th, 1 out: Garin Cecchini grounds into a force out. Narrowly avoids grounding into a double play as Omaha first baseman Brian Bocock dropped the throw from second baseman Pedro Ciriaco.
Bottom 4th: Bryce Brentz singles to left field to leadoff the bottom of the fourth inning. That's all for Binford as lefty Buddy Baumann comes on in relief.
Middle 4th: Escobar has thrown 61 pitches and 42 of them have been strikes.
Middle 4th: Janish pops out to first base to end the inning. Omaha leads 2-1 heading into the bottom of the 4th inning.
Top 4th, 2 outs: Matt Fields singles on a line drive to left field. Brian Bocock follows by drawing a 2 out walk. Paul Janish is due up as Pawtucket's pitching coach is coming to the mound to talk to Escobar.
Top 4th, 2 outs: Cheslor Cuthbert hits a sacrifice fly to left field to score Brett Hayes from third base. Omaha leads 2-1.
Top 4th, 1 out: Brett Eibner hits a sacrifice fly to the right field warning tracks to advance Hayes to third base.
Top 4th: Brett Hayes leads off the fourth inning with a double down the third base line. It was a ground-rule double.
End 3rd: Ryan Lavarnway grounds out to second base to end the third inning. Christian Binford has thrown 40 pitches and 24 of them have been strikes.
Bottom 3rd, 2 outs: Travis Shaw flies out to left field for the second out of the inning.
Bottom 3rd, 1 out: Ivan De Jesus singles on a ground ball to center field. Justin Henry stumbled over the second base bag as he tried to advance to third base, and remains at second base.
Bottom 3rd, 1 out: Rusney Castillo flies out to right field for the first out of the bottom of the third inning.
Bottom 3rd: Justin Henry leads off the bottom of the third inning with an infield single. Omaha shortstop Paul Janish nearly made a great play, but his throw was too high and it pulled first baseman Brian Bocock off the bag.
Middle 3rd: Escobar gets Paulo Orlando to strike out to end the inning. Escobar has thrown 44 pitches and 34 of them have been strikes.
Top 3rd, 2 outs: Ciriaco strikes out for the second out of the inning. Merrifield steals second base on the play.
Top 3rd, 1 out: Paul Janish flies out to right field to leadoff the third inning. Whit Merrifield follows with a bunt single.
End 2nd: Binford gets Deven Marrero to ground into a 6-4-3 doble play to end the inning. Binford has thrown 26 pitches and 15 of them have been strikes.
Bottom 2nd, 1 out: Corey Brown draws a one out walk.
Bottom 2nd, 1 out: Garin Cecchini leads off the bottom of the second inning with an infield single on a soft ground ball to shortstop. He then gets picked off at first base by Binford.
Middle 2nd: Escobar ends the top of the second inning by striking out Brian Bocock. Escobar is at 30 pitches. 21 of them have been strikes.
Top 2nd, 2 outs: Matt Fields grounds out to shortstop for the second out of the inning.
Top 2nd, 1 out: Brent Eibner flies out to right field to leadoff the top of the second inning. Cheslor Cuthbert follows with a solo homer to right field to tie the game at 1-1.
End 1st: Binford threw 13 pitches in the first inning. Nine of them were strikes. Settled down nicely after surrendering a leadoff homer to Castillo.
End 1st: Bryce Brentz grounds into a force out to end the inning. Red Sox lead 1-0 heading into the second inning.
Bottom 1st, 2 outs: Binford gets Ryan Lavarnway to strikeout swinging to record the second out of the inning.
Bottom 1st, 1 out: Ivan De Jesus grounds out third base for the first out of the inning. Travis Shaw follows that with a line drive single to center field.
Bottom 1st: Rusney Castillo hits a solo homer on the first pitch of the bottom of the first inning to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead.
Middle 1st: Escobar threw 15 pitches in the first inning. 13 of them were strikes. He went right after hitters and showed some nice command of his fastball.
Middle 1st: Escobar ends the inning by striking out Hayes. Castillo, De Jesus and Shaw are due up for the Pawtucket Red Sox in the bottom of the first inning.
Top 1st, 2 outs: Paulo Orlando grounds out to shortstop for the second out of the inning. Ciriaco remains at second base.
Top 1st, 1 out: Ciriaco advances to second base on a wild pitch by Escobar.
Top 1st 1 out: Ciriaco singles to left center for the first hit of the game.
Top 1st, 1 out: Merrifield leads off the game with a flyout to right field.
Top 1st: First pitch by Edwin Escobar is a strike and we're underway at BB&T Ballpark.
None of the hitters in Pawtucket's starting lineup tonight have ever faced Omaha starter Christian Binford.
Omaha 1B Brian Bocock and LF Whit Merrifield both own a .667 batting average against Pawtucket starter Edwin Escobar.
Pawtucket catcher Ryan Lavarnway is hitting .297 (19-for-64) with two solo homers against left-handed pitching this season.
Omaha DH Matt Fields is hitting .333 (45-for-135) along with ten homers and 27 RBI against left-handed pitching this season.
Pawtucket's starting lineup: Castillo CF, De Jesus 2B, Shaw 1B, Lavarnway C, Brentz LF, Cecchini 3B, Brown RF, Marrero SS, Henry DH
Omaha's starting lineup: Merrifield LF, Ciriaco 2B, Orlando CF, Hayes C, Eibner RF, Cuthbert 3B, Fields DH, Bocock 1B, Janish SS
This year, the International League topped the Pacific Coast League by a score of 7-3 -- meaning the Pawtucket Red Sox will play as the home team in Tuesday night's Triple-A National Championship Game.
Much like Major League Baseball does with the World Series, home field advantage is determined by the winner of the Triple-A All-Star Game.
The only three times that the team representing the Pacific Coast League has won the title came in three consecutive seasons -- 2009, 2010 and 2011.
The team representing the International League in the Triple-A National Championship Game has won five of the last eight titles -- including the last two.
Next year's Triple-A National Championship Game will be held in El Paso, Texas, at Southwest University Park, home of the Pacific Coast League's El Paso Chihuahuas.
That was followed by Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina in 2012 and Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania last year.
The first city to host under the new format was Albuquerque, New Mexico, home of the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Pacific Coast League.
Since 2011, the game has been hosted in a different Triple-A city each year.
From 2006 to 2010, the Triple-A National Championship was held annually at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, home of the Pacific Coast League's Oklahoma City RedHawks (Houston Astros), in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
What is even more impressive about that stat is that Carlos Peguero (team-leading 30 homers during the regular season), Francisco Pena (27 homers) and Johnny Giavotella (.813 OPS) were all called up to the Major Leagues by the Royals when rosters expanded on September 1.
The Omaha Storm Chasers have hit for a collective .281 average and .785 OPS while averaging 4.7 runs per game in their nine games played this postseason.
Also, Omaha outfielder Paulo Orlando has gone 16-for-39 (.410) with one homer, four RBI and two stolen bases.
Omaha outfielder Whit Merrifield has gone 15-for-39 (.385) with three homers and six RBI during this year's postseason.
The 27-year-old signed a seven-year deal with the Red Sox last month worth $72.5 million and is expected to be called up to the Major Leagues following the Triple-A National Championship Game.
Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo has gone 5-for-18 (.278) with two doubles, an RBI and a stolen base as the leadoff hitter for the Red Sox.
Ironically, Escobar is also the No. 8 prospect in his respective organization.
Escobar has been impressive in the playoffs as he has gone 1-0 with a 1.72 ERA while striking out twelve batters without surrendering a walk in 15 2/3 innings pitched (two starts).
After going 3-8 with a 5.11 ERA for Triple-A Fresno, the 22-year-old went 0-2 with a 4.28 ERA in five starts with Pawtucket during the regular season.
Escobar was acquired by the Red Sox in the Jake Peavy trade with the San Francisco Giants in late July.
The Pawtucket Red Sox will be sending southpaw Edwin Escobar to the mound to start in the National Championship Game.
Binford also hurled 5 2/3 scoreless innings of relief during the postseason while surrendering just two hits and a walk.
Binford posted a 2.88 ERA with 139 strikeouts and surrendered only 22 walks in 140 2/3 innings across the three levels.
Binford started the 2014 season in High-A Wilmington before moving up to Double-A Northwest Arkansas in July and Triple-A Omaha in August.
Binford is the No. 8 prospect in the Kansas City Royals' organization, according to MLB.com
Right-handed pitcher Christian Binford be the starting pitcher for the Omaha Storm Chasers.
Pawtucket Red Sox' road to the Triple-A National Championship: 79-65 regular season record, International League Wild Card; swept Syracuse Chiefs, 3-0, in semifinals; defeated Durham Bulls, 3-2, in Governors' Cup Finals.
Omaha Storm Chasers' road to the Triple-A National Championship: 76-67 regular season record, won Pacific Coast League American Northern Division championship; defeated Memphis Redbirds in semifinals, 3-1; defeated Reno Aces, 3-2, in PCL Championship Series.
Pawtucket fell to the Reno Aces back in 2012 by a score of 10-3.
The Red Sox will be playing in their second Triple-A National Championship.
The Storm Chasers won their first Triple-A Championship with a 2-1 victory over the Durham Bulls last year and fell to the Columbus Clippers back in 2011 by a score of 8-3.
Omaha will be playing in their third National Championship in the last four seasons, becoming the first squad with a trio of appearances in the event since it came into being back in 2006.
The ballpark is capable of holding 10,200 fans.
The game will be played at BB&T Ballpark, home of the Charlotte Knights of the International League, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The International League champion Pawtucket Red Sox will take on the Pacific Coast League champion Omaha Storm Chasers for the Triple-A National Championship.