The Durham Bulls have done it again.

The home team has advanced to the Governors' Cup Finals for the third consecutive year. It's like the World Series for the International League.

We wrote this before the opening game in the series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees Tuesday night, so check today's sports page to see out how it turned out.

Game two of the best-of-five series will be tonight at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. It will also be the last chance to see the Bulls play at home this season, since the series shifts to Pennsylvania for games three, four and five (if needed) starting Thursday.

And we should emphasize that tickets are available. Unlike the major leagues, when the playoffs usually draw the heaviest crowds of the year, the Bulls have struggled with getting fans out for the post-season.

According to an article by The Herald-Sun's Neil Offen, the team drew nearly a half million fans during the regular season, but will attract perhaps 1,500 for a playoff game. (A sellout at the DBAP is around 10,000).

It's kind of a shame, because the Bulls have great fans, and the team reliably plays after most of its rivals have gone home. Since the Bulls moved up from A to AAA, the team has made the International League playoffs nine of 12 years.

The Bulls won the Governor's Cup in 2002 and 2003, and have lost in the final round the last two years. This will be their third consecutive title shot.

This year, there's an element of payback. Last year, the Bulls' parent team, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, surprised everyone by winning their division and making it to the World Series.

But Tampa Bay is in a tough division, dominated by the Boston Red Sox and, yes, the New York Yankees. Tampa has faltered in the pennant race this year, so it would be sweet payback for the Bulls to beat the Yankees on the AAA level.

So let's get out and cheer for our Bulls.