Swarming Bees Delay Astros vs. Padres

We've heard of a rain delay in baseball. It happens occasionally -- in fact, it's happened frequently this season. Something you don't quite see so often is the non-traditional, but still quite crowd-pleasing, bee delay.

Thursday afternoon, the Astros entered the ninth inning leading the Padres 6-1. According to the Associated Press, Padres left fielder Kyle Blanks began moving toward the infield during Miguel Tejada's at-bat. After an umpire went out to see what the problem was, all players were pulled off of the field. Stadium security cleared out several sections of fans as well.

Watching the delay on TV, a masked beekeeper could be seen on the field collecting the newly-deceased assailants after having unleashed several cans of bee-killing whoop-ass on the swarm. The beekeeper even waved to cheering fans as he exited the stadium. I guess that's what those bees get for trying to interrupt America's pastime, especially with only one out until the end of the game.

The game was delayed for 52 minutes, but resumed to see the Astros prevail, 7-2.

What an odd scene in San Diego. Hopefully no one with a bee allergy was harmed.

Latest Baseball Images

Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez, left, and Philadelphia Phillies Jayson Werth look for the umpire's call after Werth tried to score from third on a wild pitch in the eighth inning of a baseball game in Atlanta, Thursday July 2, 2009. Werth was out and Atlanta won 5-2. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez, left, tags out Philadelphia Phillies' Jayson Werth, right, as he tries to score from third on a wild pitch in the eighth inning of a baseball game in Atlanta, Thursday July 2, 2009. Atlanta won 5-2. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kansas City Royals shortstop Willie Bloomquist (8) can't handle the shuffle throw from second baseman Alberto Callaspo, allowing the Chicago White Sox's Gordon Beckham (15) to reach second base in the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, Thursday, July 2, 2009. (John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/MCT)

MCT

Kansas City Royals second baseman Alberto Callaspo tried to shuffle a ground ball to second base, but flipped it past shortstop Willie Bloomquist, allowing the Chicago White Sox's Gordon Beckham to reach second base on the play in the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, Thursday, July 2, 2009. (John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/MCT)

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The Chicago Cubs' Derrek Lee is greeted at home plate by teammates after hitting a grand slam home run against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth inning at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, Thursday, July 2, 2009. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/MCT)

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Atlanta Braves' Matt Diaz drives in the go-ahead run with a double in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Atlanta, Thursday July 2, 2009. Atlanta won the 5-2 and swept the three-game series. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Bruce Chen, right, gets a pat on the shoulder from catcher Miguel Olivio as Chen leaves a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in the seventh inning Thursday, July 2, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

NEW YORK - JULY 2: CC Sabathia #52 of the New York Yankees pitches in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on July 2, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** CC Sabathia

Getty Images

Chicago White Sox shortstop Jayson Nix, right, throws over Kansas City Royals' Miguel Olivo (21) as he completes a double play in the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 2, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. Mike Jacobs was out at first on the play. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-02-2009 @ 10:12PM

bello07 said...

who cares

7-03-2009 @ 1:06AM

God said...

I guess you had to bee there ...

7-03-2009 @ 1:29AM

JT said...

"the Astros entered the ninth inning trailing the Padres 6-1." "The game was delayed for 52 minutes, but resumed to see the Astros prevail, 7-2." Wow according to this report the bees must have nailed the official scorer???

7-03-2009 @ 1:33AM

Matt Snyder said...

Fixed.

And you don't wanna know how many expletives I hurled at myself for that egregious error. Good God am I mad.

7-03-2009 @ 1:31AM

imosoccer9 said...

Tom. we will read how PETA wants the SD Padres to do thousands of hours at a humane society or pay back the animal kingdom for the cruel acts... great

7-03-2009 @ 3:49AM

CinCydude61 said...

I don't see the score issue fixed. It's funny that JT caught that.

7-03-2009 @ 8:10AM

It is fixed. It was 6-1 Astros pre-bees and ended 7-2 Astros.

7-03-2009 @ 5:32AM

lawrencehagen said...

the bees sting people, and you dont care about that, bello07?

7-03-2009 @ 10:02AM

pinus1 said...

A swarm of bees and they had to kill them? The news in the past two years has been how entomologists cannot understand why so many bees are dying. If we loose the bees we can kiss the fruit tress good-bye. Didn't your father tell you about the birds and the bees? A swarm lasts only for a few mins. They are generally after a place to nest, finding none they split.

7-03-2009 @ 10:26AM

Janice said...

I can see PETA all over this.

7-03-2009 @ 11:24AM

inserrawinter said...

was al gore there??? houston we have a problem, too many scientists in the kitchen. Kudsu in Georgia, bees being moved to pollinate, rivers being re-routed cause of flooding. And Al says we need to listen to more and more of his global crap.

7-03-2009 @ 12:07PM

roger r. said...

one run came after the bees and one in the bottom 9th

7-03-2009 @ 1:23PM

ARTHUR ZIMMER said...

THEY SHOULD HAVE PUT QUEEN BEE JUICE ON OBAMA'S BACKSIDE AND LET THAT SOCIALIST RUN THE BASES.

7-03-2009 @ 2:11PM

Welcome Dave said...

i don't beelieve this story.

7-03-2009 @ 3:32PM

tmlbtb said...

Putting baseball before bees, and did they have to destroy them? We're slowly killing ourselves. Those multi millionaires on the field don't give two s%#&'s about the fans and you suckers will defend them to the end, keep handing over your hard earned over taxed paychecks to those jerks.

7-03-2009 @ 6:01PM

Gangsta1 said...

lol those bees got pwned suk on dat peta

7-03-2009 @ 6:17PM

Hi Judy said...

Give it up folks. I don't like Obama either, but I doubt very seriously that this is his fault.
What has happened to our country? Do we have to point the fionger at some one else for every little thing that happens?

7-03-2009 @ 10:11PM

Steven said...

There were four outs remaining. The swarm showed up in the top of the 9th with two outs.

7-05-2009 @ 7:19AM

scispaceweb1024 said...

How the hell did a swarm of bees enter into an open arena sports event but enclosed by a stadium with a number of seats that accommodates over 100,000 fans!? How was this NOT detected in a MAJOR LEAGUE field. This is not some recreational small youth league backwoods town ball park with weeds and trees around the fences of a ball field - this is a damn major league baseball field! The owner of the stadium should be held liable for not doing a security check of sanitation. Has the leaders running professional sports become so damn greedy they cannot hire to sanitize or spray insecticide during the off hours and make sure the whole stadium is clean and safe? Also don't give some recession B.S. excuse the owners of the stadium can't pay for this because we are in some great depression because the owners and managers of the stadium and home team are multi-millionaires!