Monarchs Cement First Round Home Field Advantage
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City Monarchs earned home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs in dominant style. Starting pitcher Ashton Goudeau and the Monarchs rolled by the Cleburne Railroaders, 12-3, at Legends Field on Sunday.
The win means the Monarchs’ first home playoff game is scheduled for Friday night at 6:35 p.m. from Legends Field. The full West Division Series schedule is below:
Game 1: Wednesday at Fargo-Moorhead, 6:30 p.m.
Game 2: Friday at Kansas City, 6:35 p.m.
Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday at Kansas City, 6:35 p.m.
Friday will be the Monarchs’ first home playoff game since 2023.
“It’s always great being at home at Legends Field,” Goudeau said. “The energy will be good, our hitters like the field.”
Goudeau (5-5) put together his fourth consecutive quality start with six innings of one-run ball. The former major leaguer completed 24 consecutive scoreless innings after beginning the day with five shutout innings.
“It’s being in the playoff grind,” Goudeau said. “I was trying to make sure that this team is in these games late in the season so we can have a good spot in the playoffs.”
The Monarchs (58-41) climbed into the lead thanks to sacrifice flies by Ross Adolph in the second inning and Andres Noriega in the third.
Kansas City blew the game open with a couple of big home runs in the middle innings. Yoyner Fajardo skied a three-run home run in the fourth inning to give the Monarchs a 5-0 lead.
“Any time we can get run support early, it makes our job easier,” Goudeau said. “It means we can be more aggressive.”
Cleburne (43-56) pulled a run back with a solo home run in the sixth by former major leaguer Shed Long Jr.
John Nogowski sealed Kansas City’s win shortly after. The Monarchs’ first baseman launched a grand slam to left-field in the bottom of the sixth inning to increase the lead to 9-1.
The home run was Nogowski’s fifth of the month. The former Pittsburgh Pirate led KC with 26 RBIs during August.
The Monarchs tightened their grip on the game with three more runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it 12-1.
The loss also eliminated the Railroaders from playoff contention in the East Division.
UP NEXT
The Monarchs close their 2025 regular season on Monday at 1:05 pm. Jackson Goddard starts for Kansas City’s Fan Appreciation Day at Legends Field.
