KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Royals ball boy earned himself plenty of TV time on Sunday when he fielded a fair ball down the first base line and handed it innocently to a fan in the first row of seats.

The ball had been roped down the line by the Yankees’ Brian Roberts in the fourth inning, and first base umpire Mike Estabrook clearly ruled it fair. But the ball boy evidently failed to notice the signal, and he scooped it up and turned to give it away in one motion.

Meanwhile, Royals right fielder Nori Aoki had run over to point out that it was a fair ball.

It probably didn’t make much difference. Roberts would likely have held at second base, where he ended up as a result of the ground-rule double.

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