Bee swarm delays Giants game at Salt River

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.What is this, sting training?A day after the Giants briefly evacuated Scottsdale Stadiumbecause of a gas leak in a concession stand, their game against the ArizonaDiamondbacks at Salt River Fields was delayed for 41 minutes in the top of thesecond inning because of a bee swarm Sunday.The thick cloud of stinging critters began in center fieldand moved into the right field corner. Play was halted as Arizona centerfielder 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 nearthe end of the photographers well adjacent to the Giants dugout.Members of the grounds crew staff actually borrowed lemonadefrom fans and spilled it in the back of their utility cart in the hopes ofluring the bees away from players and fans. Another groundskeeper ventured upthe concourse and came back with handfuls of cotton candy to add to the stickybait mixture.The swarm occurred after Ryan Theriot singled and MikeFontenot doubled with one out against Arizona ace Ian Kennedy, who dominatedthe Giants last season. Minor league left-hander Brian Burres stranded a runnerin the first inning. The game was a scoreless tie.The lengthy delay ensured that neither starting pitcher wouldreturn. Barry Enright replaced Kennedy when play resumed.The stadium operations crew played the Beatles Let it Beduring the delay. Triple-A Fresno announcer Doug Greenwald, who is callinggames on sfgiants.com this spring, cracked that it was too early for a Bgame.