Salvador Perez’s record-tying homer Wednesday gave the Royals a win, a milestone and one very unusual postscript: a fan got arrested trying to fish the ball out of the Kauffman Stadium fountains.
Perez’s 317th career home run matched George Brett for the most in Royals history, and the 437-foot shot landed in the water beyond the right-center-field wall. That was enough to send one Kansas City fan into the fountains in an attempt to recover the ball, only for security to step in quickly.
The fan was escorted out of the stadium, then placed in handcuffs and taken into custody by police. FOX4 Kansas City later reported that he was released.
Perez didn’t seem interested in seeing the fan pay a heavy price for the stunt. After hearing what happened, the Royals captain made a public plea for leniency.
“Please, police, just take him out of the jail, please,” Perez said, according to a video shared by Jomboy Media.
“If I was him, I’d maybe jump too and try to get that ball,” Perez said. “So please, and thank you for the hard work in trying to get that ball.”
The Royals’ own guest rules make clear that the fountains are off-limits. Anyone who enters them is subject to immediate arrest, a trip to a downtown police station and charges. That policy didn’t stop this fan from chasing one of the most meaningful home run balls in franchise history.
The scene came in the middle of a big night for Kansas City. The Royals were trailing the Giants when Perez came up in the seventh inning and crushed a two-run homer that cut into the lead and started a four-run rally. Lane Thomas later delivered a go-ahead two-run single, and Kansas City finished off a 5-4 win.
Perez now sits tied with Brett atop the Royals’ all-time home run list. Mike Sweeney is third with 197, followed by Amos Otis at 193 and Alex Gordon at 190.
The milestone carried extra weight because of what Perez has meant to the franchise over 15 seasons in Kansas City. He’s a nine-time All-Star, five-time Gold Glove winner and five-time Silver Slugger, and he was World Series MVP after helping the Royals beat the New York Mets in 2015.
Manager Matt Quatraro got emotional talking about Perez and his place in club history.
“I love that guy,” Quatraro said. “What he does, the way he goes about it, the passion he plays the game with, it’s unrivaled. The guy’s a Hall of Famer, and you’re getting to witness it.”
Perez, for his part, said the moment meant even more because it happened at home.
“That was a super exciting moment,” Perez said. “Especially doing it here in Kansas City.
I love the fans here. Kansas City is my second home.”
For one Royals fan, that love apparently extended all the way into the fountains.
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