Watch: Royals announcers left speechless after umpire botches first strike call

“Fastball is right down the middle for ball one,” said Royals’ play-by-play announcer Ryan Lefebvre.

“What?! My goodness! Not on pitch one!” replied color commentator Rex Hudler.

“What part of that pitch is not a strike?” Lefebvre added.

The pitch didn’t end up haunting Royals. Henderson still struck out on four pitches without Henderson ever swinging the bat.

Ragans even got a generous strike-three call on a borderline pitch near the bottom of the strike zone. Perhaps it was a gesture from Blakney to make amends for the blown call on the first pitch.

The Royals, however, ended up losing 9-7 after the Orioles put up seven runs in the second inning.

Kansas City nearly mounted a comeback when they got as close as 8-7 in the bottom of the seventh. But they fell just short of overcoming the 7-0 hole Baltimore buried them in.

The Royals were outhit 15-8 in the contest. Henderson was one of five Orioles players with a multi-hit effort in the victory.