‘Not sorry’: Kansas City Royals’ Edward Olivares has no regrets after smokin’ home run

Left fielder Edward Olivares played a crucial role at the plate during the Kansas City Royals 3-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

Olivares blasted a game-tying home run 452 feet to left in the eighth inning. The tape-measure shot knocked out part of the large video board on the Royals Hall of Fame.

With an exit velocity of 111 mph, Olivares home run literally left the video board smoking. White smoke wafted out of that portion of the video board for a few minutes after absorbing the blow.

“Sorry, but not sorry,” Olivares said with a smirk after the game.

The Royals found themselves stifled by Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore for much of Sunday’s matchup. Olivares laser-shot off Washington closer Chad Kuhl was just the fourth hit of the day for KC. The Royals finished with six hits overall.

“I waited for that pitch and Keoni (De Renne, Royals assistant hitting coach) told me he might throw a slider,” Olivares said of Kuhl. “So I waited for that pitch.”

Royals manager Matt Quatraro praised Olivares’ approach at the plate.

“Ollie was ready to hit,” Quatraro said. “You saw in a couple of his other at-bats where he was ready to hit early. (He) took aggressive swings and then he expanded the zone the at-bat before, but to still be ready to hit was very impressive.”

Quatraro said he has been impressed by the left fielder lately.

“He hasn’t had the results the last month that he did early in the year, but that’s why you never count anybody out,” Quatraro said. “One at-bat flips a switch for somebody, and they start feeling better. He’s taken really good swings the last couple of days.”

As for who pays for the scoreboard damage?

“That’s all on (Olivares),” Royals second basemen Michael Massey said with a laugh.

No matter the cost, Olivares has no regrets.

“I’m happy,” he said. “It’s good that we tied the game (on the homer), but it was also fun.”