The Arizona Diamondbacks had a few too many visitors at Chase Field for their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.
The NL West matchup was delayed for two hours after it was discovered that a swarm of bees had converged on the netting behind home plate. Originally scheduled to start at 6:40pm, the first pitch didn’t arrive until 8:35pm.
The time in between is usually spent waiting for the beekeeper to report peak beekeeping activity. Chase Field Stadium operations staff asked the public.Please be patient” and then “Let it be” was played.
The Diamondbacks, of course. He issued a statement. Explaining the situation;
“The scheduled game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers has been temporarily delayed due to a beehive in the netting directly behind home plate at Chase Field. We expect the game to resume as soon as the beehive is successfully removed. An update will be provided by a professional beehive.”
Finally, the beekeeper arrived, dressed in full beekeeping gear, went up to the hive on a lift, sprayed the bees with something, and vacuumed the bees out while Sunday’s “Blinds” and “Holding Out for Hero” played in the background.
We can only imagine how this guy who received the message “Thanks Bee Guy” on the big screen was going to spend before he got the call.
The exterminator, Matt Hilton of Blue Sky Pest Control, was then asked to throw the first pitch of the ceremony. He received a standing ovation.
Hilton He later told reporters. And he said he was at his son’s tee-ball game when he got the call from the D-Backs, whose vice president of ballpark operations said the game was “too close” to call. Importantly, Hilton bees said They were not killed..
On Wednesday, after his heroics, Hilton made a custom business card deal for himself.
🐝 🐝🐝🐝🦦🧧 : We’ve signed a deal with Matt Hilton (the Bee specialist from last night’s game) and are doing autograph cards from his all-time great. pic.twitter.com/uftVYAbjkw
— Topps (@Topps) May 1, 2024
The Diamondbacks suffered even more because of poor visitors, as starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery had to be scratched after a long wait to start. It is said that until one sees the bees, they are warmed up and ready to go.
The development left Arizona reliever Brandon Hughes to start the game at the plate, but it ended in victory for the home team when Christian Walker hit a 2-run homer in the 10th to make it 4-3.
It was a very surprising and funny situation, but it was not unprecedented. Just last month, the Indian Wells tennis tournament was delayed due to a swarm of bees. Baseball games were also condemned, incl 2016 game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Angels And Another Diamondback game in 2014 was against the San Francisco Giants.
All of these events saw the bees invading midway through the festivities. In Tuesday’s case, it might be worth asking how a giant swarm of bees can form before a game in a closed-roof stadium.