Kansas City, Mo. ? 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.

“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.

“I was just messing around in here,” Brown said. “I feel terrible about it. Karen is one of the nicest persons that I’ve met, especially as far as the media is concerned. This happening to her, I feel absolutely awful about it.”

Brown said he tried to call Kornacki to apologize but was unable to reach her.