The Kansas City Royals are on a roll in the second half of the season. They just swept the San Francisco Giants, and a record-tying 437-foot home run became the biggest talking point of their 5-4 victory in the series finale. While Salvador Perez was celebrating franchise history after tying the Royals’ all-time home run record with his 317th career homer, one fan tried to claim the milestone ball. Unfortunately for him, things didn’t go as planned.

“Please, police, just take him out of jail, please.” Perez pleaded in a clip posted by Jomboy Media on X. 

On Tuesday, Perez’s leadoff two-run homer brought Kansas City back into the game and tied the franchise record for the most home runs by a Royals player. George Brett, a Hall of Famer who spent his entire 21-season MLB career with the Royals, previously held the mark. One of the greatest hitters in baseball history and a franchise icon, Brett also won the American League batting title in three different decades (1976, 1980, and 1990).

While tying the record was undoubtedly a special moment for Perez, he was more concerned about the fan who ended up in police custody.

The ball Perez hit had dropped into the fountain in Kauffman Stadium. While the Royals were celebrating the incredible feat from the 36-year-old, one fan decided to collect the ball as a souvenir. The guy wearing a white Perez jersey jumped into the fountain and retrieved it. But he probably didn’t notice the warning sign.

“Persons entering the fountain will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law” is what was written there, in bold, all-capital letters.

The police did what they were supposed to do. They put the handcuffs on him and took him away. Perez realized that what should have been a reason for celebration and an unforgettable memory for the fan had instead turned into a misfortune. That’s why he urged the uniformed personnel to “please, send him home.”

The designated hitter even admitted that if he had been in the fan’s place, he would have “jumped [in the pool] too.”

And as it turned out, the Kansas City police had ultimately listened. They cited and released the fan, which would probably serve as an extended part of his memorable day. 

Perez hit his 14th homer of the season to tie the historical record, and it helped the Royals move from trailing 3-0 to eventually winning it 5-4. They were on a six-game homestand to start the second half and wanted to capitalize on it to improve their position in the division. They did just that by winning five of those games, including sweeping the Giants.

Unfortunately, the Kansas City Royals started a 10-game road trip with a 4-3 loss against the Detroit Tigers. This means they are still at the bottom of the AL Central with a 43-61 record. Their chances of making the playoffs are slim, as they trail by 10.5 games in the Wild Card race. But that doesn’t mean the Royals faithful won’t celebrate one of the biggest milestones in franchise history.