(Sioux Falls) For the first time in franchise history, the Sioux Falls Canaries are league champions as they edged Grand Prairie last night 5-4 to claim their first ever American Association title. The city of Sioux Falls is turning into Title Town, as the Canaries became the latest minor league franchise to claim a crown.

After 16 years of always being the team on the outside looking in, late last night, the Canaries finally felt what it was like to be a champion.
Matt Meola, Canaries broadcaster, "The 1-2 pitch...A swing and a ground ball to the right side and it gets thru and the Sioux Falls Canaries are American Association Champions."
Steve Shirley, Canaries manager said, "In my career now, this is on the top of the heap. To be able to manage these fellas and get into the championship and to win the championship, and for the city of Sioux Falls and all the people out here who have never had a championship here, this is what it's about."
Kris Regas, Canaries closer said, "This is our big leagues. Whatever season we are in, that's our big leagues. You know everyone is playing for a ring. There are ten teams in the league and we are the one team who is getting the ring."
"Iit's definitely a dream come true. I'm thirty years old and I've been playing this game for 25 years and this is definitely the biggest game in my life. 8 years pro ball, four years of college, I never got a chance to play for a title so to finally get a chance to play for a title and win it, this is unbelievable," outfielder Ben Van Iderstine said.
"This is why you come out and play baseball since you are a little kid. You want to win a championship and now that you have it, it feels pretty good," second baseman Josh Patton said on the field following the post game celebration.
"A championship is a championship. I've played on a lot of teams and this team with our chemistry and the atmosphere was by the best one I've ever been around," outfielder Beau Torbert said.

For a franchise that had become synonymous with losing over the last decade, Saturday night's win was a fitting end for a special team.
"Iif you look at what we've been able to do with the group that we've had, we've made very few changes because we knew these guys were going to get it done. The whole year, up's and downs, in's and out's, but this group of players from the beginning wanted to win a championship," Shirley said.
"Jjust a picture perfect ending," Torbert said.
"Just a magical year for me, for the team. It's just been magic," Shirley said with a big smile.

A big reason for the Canaries turn around falls on the shoulders of Manager Steve Shirley. The second year skipper has guided the Canaries to back to back winning seasons, the first time in franchise history the Canaries have accomplished that feat.