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‘Bee Guy’ Who Removed Hive from MLB Game Wins Over Crowd, Gets First Pitch: 'Pretty Hyped Up'

Becca Longmire
·3-min read

Blue Sky Pest Control worker, Matt Hilton, saved the day ahead of the Diamondbacks game against the Dodgers on April 30

<p>Christian Petersen/Getty</p> Beekeeper Matt Hilton removes a colony of bees at the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game on April 30, 2024.

Christian Petersen/Getty

Beekeeper Matt Hilton removes a colony of bees at the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game on April 30, 2024.

A beekeeper ended up being the real winner of the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, April 30.

Ahead of the MLB game, Blue Sky Pest Control worker, Matt Hilton, 37 — dubbed "Bee Guy" by the internet — saved the day after there was a bee emergency at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

A colony of bees had set up camp in the protective netting behind home plate ahead of the game, which eventually saw the Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers 4-3.

<p>Christian Petersen/Getty</p> Beekeeper Matt Hilton throws out the ceremonial first pitch at the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game on April 30, 2024.

Christian Petersen/Getty

Beekeeper Matt Hilton throws out the ceremonial first pitch at the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game on April 30, 2024.

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After Hilton successfully removed the bees, he was declared a "hero" and even got to deliver the ceremonial first pitch after the game was delayed due to the drama.

Videos posted to X (formerly known as Twitter) showed Hilton going up in a scissor lift before bravely managing to vacuum the bees into sealed containers.

<p>Christian Petersen/Getty</p> Beekeeper Matt Hilton throws out the ceremonial first pitch at the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game on April 30, 2024.

Christian Petersen/Getty

Beekeeper Matt Hilton throws out the ceremonial first pitch at the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game on April 30, 2024.

While speaking to MLB after throwing out the first pitch, Hilton said, "That was pretty cool, I can't say I've had that experience before, and probably won't again, but it was pretty awesome."

Hilton was even faced with his very own press conference after the incident according to a photo shared on X, as USA Today MLB columnist Bob Nightengale joked about the amount of attention he was getting after the incident.

Hilton told MLB that he'd actually been at his son's tee ball game before he got that all-important call from the Diamondbacks. "It was the last game of the season when I got the call to come out here," the beekeeper recalled.

Hilton added of what it was like getting a standing ovation from the Chase Field crowd, "I thought I was here to just take care of a bee problem, and people were pretty hyped up, it was pretty cool."

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The game eventually got going at around 8:35 p.m. local time, almost two hours after it was meant to start.

Back in March, there was a bee-related tennis incident during Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev's quarterfinal match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.

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A swarm of bees descended onto the court at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden during the first set as the players were tied 1-1, before the umpire announced the match had been suspended due to a "bee invasion."

Alcaraz ended up being stung on the side of his forehead during the incident. Thankfully, neither Hilton or the MLB players in Phoenix on Tuesday suffered the same fate.

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