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Bee swarm delays Giants game at Salt River

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – What is this, sting training?

A day after the Giants briefly evacuated Scottsdale Stadium because of a gas leak in a concession stand, their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields was delayed for 41 minutes in the top of the second inning because of a bee swarm Sunday.

The thick cloud of stinging critters began in center field and moved into the right field corner. Play was halted as Arizona center fielder Chris Young began running away from the swarm.

The bees traveled into the stands down the right field line, quickly emptying two sections of the sold-out crowd, before congregating near the end of the photographer’s well adjacent to the Giants dugout.

Members of the grounds crew staff actually borrowed lemonade from fans and spilled it in the back of their utility cart in the hopes of luring the bees away from players and fans. Another groundskeeper ventured up the concourse and came back with handfuls of cotton candy to add to the sticky bait mixture.

The swarm occurred after Ryan Theriot singled and Mike Fontenot doubled with one out against Arizona ace Ian Kennedy, who had dominated the Giants last season. Minor league left-hander Brian Burres stranded a runner in the first inning. The game was a scoreless tie.

The lengthy delay ensured that neither starting pitcher would return. Barry Enright replaced Kennedy when play resumed.

The stadium operations crew played the Beatles’ “Let it Be” during the delay. Triple-A Fresno announcer Doug Greenwald, who is calling games on sfgiants.com this spring, cracked that it was too early for a “B” game.