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A Major League Baseball match between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers was delayed for almost two hours due to a bee swarm.
The bees settled on the netting behind the home plate shortly before play was about to begin, forcing officials to contact local pest control companies. Beekeeper Matt Hilton was watching his son at a baseball match 40 minutes away when he got the call, arriving at Chase Field in Phoenix to be lifted into the air and remove the swarm. "We know this was really important to get this game going, so when we heard there's a bee issue out at the Diamondbacks’ stadium, we tried to get at it right away," he said.
‘Holding Out for a Hero’ by Bonnie Tyler was played at the stadium as Hilton sprayed the bees, and he then got the opportunity to throw the ceremonial pitch ahead of the match getting up and running.
"I wasn't expecting that - I thought I was just going to do my thing and cruise out. But it was fun," Hilton said. The Diamondbacks won the match, with Brandon Hughes joking that the bees had a role to play in ensuring it was a successful night, even if it was longer than expected. "One of my buddies texted me a Google screenshot of honeybees and how they're a sign of good luck from ancient times," Hughes said.
"And it was actually like a little bit deeper, how they use teamwork and cooperation. I mean, that was a a full team win right there."