712.277.WINS (9467)

SIOUX CITY, IA - The American Association of Professional Baseball has announced another end of the season award, and Sioux City Explorers Field Manager Steve 

Montgomery has been heralded as the 2015 American Association’s Manager of the Year. 

Steve Montgomery is in his second season as the Field Manager of the Sioux City Explorers having a successful first season as the head man with the X’s in 2014. The 

Explorers finished the season with 47 wins, 7 more than the previous (2013) season, though that doesn’t even come close to the success that Montgomery brought to the table in 2015. 

The 2015 Sioux City Explorers squad has become the most dominant team Sioux City has ever had. On August 8th, 2015 the Explorers broke their franchise record for wins in a season, getting their fifty-third victory of the year with the 2-1 victory over Sioux Falls. From June 26th - August 11th, Sioux City went on a fourteen game win streak, breaking their franchise record for consecutive wins without a loss (*11-1997, Courtesy of SCCJ). 

Under Steve Montgomery, this Sioux City ball-club has not only been the best team in franchise history, but also American Association history. On Thursday, September 3rd while in Grand Prairie, the Sioux City Explorers won their seventy-third game of the season with a score of 10-2, tying the 2014 Wichita Wingnuts with the American Association record for wins in a season. The next day (September 4th), the Explorers broke the record with win number seventy-four, getting the 5-2 victory over Grand Prairie and have taken sole possession of the American Association wins in a season record. Sioux City finished with 75 wins, 25 losses and a .750 winning percentage, the best in 

American Association history.

Other American Association records broke by the 2015 Sioux City Explorers ball-club;

Winning percentage: .750 (Wichita, .730, 2014)

Road Wins: 38 (Wichita, 34, 2014)

Stolen bases: 188 (Wichita, 174, 2014)

Team ERA: 3.04 (Wichita, 3.38, 2013)

Earned runs allowed: 301 (Wichita, 327, 2013)

Runs allowed: 344 (382 by two teams)

Hits allowed: 750 (Wichita, 771, 2013)

Opponents batting average: .228 (Wichita, .236, 2013)

        (Courtesy of Terry Hersom-Sioux City Journal) 

The Ohio native began his professional career with the Kansas City Royals organization in 1993 when he signed as an un-drafted free agent. In 1995 he signed with the Johnstown (PA) Steel of the Independent Frontier League and in 33 games that season he compiled an ERA of 0.00 with 9 saves in 38.2 innings. Montgomery was signed by the Baltimore Orioles and pitched the 1996 season at High Dessert in the California League. In 1997 he earned the Jim Palmer Award as the top minor league pitching prospect in the Orioles system. Steve played two seasons with the Dodgers and Red Sox affiliates before finishing his career with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks from 2001-03. Montgomery retired as the all-time save leader in RedHawks history (47).  Prior to the Explorers, Montgomery spent his last ten seasons as pitching coach for Fargo-Moorhead. Steve and his wife Tania, their son Tephen (10) and daughter Aspen (7) make their home in Lithia, Florida. 

The Sioux City Explorers have clinched the 2015 American Association Central Division Championship and will host the first two games of playoffs (September 9-10th) at Lewis and Clark Park. Reserve your tickets now by stopping down to the stadium box office located at Lewis & Clark Park (3400 Line Drive, Sioux City, IA 51106) or by ordering online at www.xsbaseball.com or by phone at 712-277-WINS (9467).