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A bee swarm delayed the start of the Major League Baseball match between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers for almost two hours.

Five minutes before play was scheduled to begin a swarm of bees descended on the top of the protective netting behind the home plate.

Beekeeper Matt Hilton was called in and was lifted 30 feet into the air to the post where the bees had swarmed at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Hilton, who had been about to watch his six-year-old son play a baseball game when he received a call, sprayed and vacuumed the bees away.

"We know this was really important to get this game going, so when we heard there's a bee issue out at the Diamondbacks’ stadium, we tried to get at it right away," he said.

The crowd cheered Hilton as he cleared the bees and 'Holding out for a hero' by Bonnie Tyler was played over the speakers as he worked.

"I wasn't expecting that - I thought I was just going to do my thing and cruise out. But it was fun," added Hilton, who threw the ceremonial first pitch to get the match going.

Several training games have been delayed because of bees, particularly in the extremely hot temperatures of Arizona.

Chase Field has a retractable roof but it was open on Tuesday, allowing the bees to enter.