Royals outfielder Emil Brown hit a television reporter near the eye with a pellet from a small plastic gun in the Kansas City clubhouse Friday afternoon.
A team spokesman said Brown didn’t mean to shoot KMBC sports reporter Karen Kornacki with the plastic pellet gun. Brown started in left field Friday night against the Texas Rangers.
“It was certainly an accident,” Royals spokesman David Holtzman said. “He wasn’t shooting at anybody.”
Kornacki was interviewing shortstop Tony Pena Jr. before the game when she felt the pellet hit near her left eye, said Gary Roberts, KMBC’s assistant news director. Kornacki ended the interview and left the locker room immediately.
An assistant team trainer treated Kornacki and gave her an ice pack. Roberts said the station sent Kornacki, who has been with the ABC affiliate for more than 20 years, to see an eye doctor.
Bret Saberhagen was unavailable for comment. Brown was presumably unaffected by the incident, as he’s in the lineup tonight for K.C., who are leading Texas, 4-0 through 7 innings. Former Met Brian Bannister has struck out 6 six and allowed just 4 hits thus far, and is undoubtedly pleased with the great publicity for his Loft 19 Studios.