MESA, Ariz. — Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward was stung more than 10 times — in the face and back of the head — when a swarm of bees swept through the field in the top of the third inning Sunday at Sloan Park.
Heyward, who is not allergic to bees, jumped and hung on the outfield wall, and actually considered going over it to get away.
“I wasn’t thinking to get out of there until it got crazy,” he said. “Once they saw, it was, I’m not gonna stand here.”
Starting pitcher Jason Hammel was aghast.
“Had to have been a big deal,” he said. “He’s swatting at his face and all over the place. I’ve never seen that before.”
He took Claritin after the game but was otherwise fine. He was jokingly asked if it might have been one of Maddon’s practice stunts gone wrong.
“It was no stunt,” he said. “It was real.”
The bees caused a delay of five minutes. They swarmed from right field, through center and onto a chair in the Cubs’ bullpen, which was behind the left field wall. Fans down the line scattered, and the pitchers eventually moved to share a bullpen with the Mariners.
Heyward didn’t tease outfielder Dexter Fowler, whose injury forced him to move to centerfield before the swarm. He left the game after one inning with mild side tightness.
“I’m sure someone will get on him,” Heyward said, “but I’m not gonna get on him.”
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Email: pfinley@suntimes.com
