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Photos: Skunks Foul Up Dodger Stadium Dugout
A group of skunks hung out at Dodger Stadium at the St. Louis Cardinals' dugout last Friday. While they didn't end up spraying anyone, they did cause quite a stir and their presence led to the Twitter hashtag #SkunkWatch.
The four skunks were underneath the photographers' stand in the dugout before the game started, according to Bleacher Report. Stadium employees and animal control tried to catch the skunks in a number of rather creative ways, by bringing in a trash can to leaving out fresh salmon bait. One man even yelled out the suggestion of just reaching in and grabbing the skunks by the tail (because that sounds like a good idea...).
Since animal control wasn't able to remove the skunks before the game started, they decided to trap them in the dugout until the game was over. They did, however, make sure to keep them well-fed with fresh salmon.
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny told the AP, "I told everybody at the beginning: 'Don't be fooling around over there, because you'll wish you hadn't.'"
While we imagine that the stadium would have removed the skunks from the premises by this point, we haven't heard back yet from Dodger Stadium on how everything played out.
This isn't the first time skunks have visited Dodger Stadium. Back in 2013, there were a number of skunk sightings, and in previous years, folks have even seen raccoons and coyotes at the stadium.
And if you were wondering, the Cardinals had a 2-1 winning over the Dodgers on Friday.
Fox Sports Midwest reporter Jim Hayes and MLB.com Cardinals reporter Jennifer Langosch live-tweeted the entire #SkunkWatch ordeal—and it was pretty amazing:
#SkunkWatch #STLCards pic.twitter.com/uMMNjY6DAW
— Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnBallyTV) June 5, 2015
Hi-tech equipment being deployed. #SkunkWatch #STLCards pic.twitter.com/bgikQ1kqZH
— Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnBallyTV) June 5, 2015
The skunk whisperer has arrived. #SkunkWatch #STLCards pic.twitter.com/g9RcVoBm0r
— Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnBallyTV) June 5, 2015
Bait. #SkunkWatch #STLCards pic.twitter.com/s49lLRufL4
— Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnBallyTV) June 5, 2015
Getting tense. #SkunkWatch pic.twitter.com/33gnzOFONV
— Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnBallyTV) June 5, 2015
Update: up to 4 perps still at large. #SkunkWatch
— Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnBallyTV) June 5, 2015
Update: Skunk whisperer gave up on pursuit. Trap and bait left inside photog stand. #SkunkWatch
— Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnBallyTV) June 5, 2015
They have actually assigned security to keep people away until animal control arrives. #SkunkWatch pic.twitter.com/knM3d6NudK
— Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnBallyTV) June 5, 2015
Animal control guy says the bait was wrong. They need FRESH salmon. #SkunkWatch pic.twitter.com/XdWvczZGaL
— Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnBallyTV) June 6, 2015
Not sure they got the right guy for the job. #SkunkWatch pic.twitter.com/hFx3PL2f5A
— Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnBallyTV) June 6, 2015
Crisis in the Dodger Stadium visiting dugouts: skunks! pic.twitter.com/iJooVhPg3y
— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) June 5, 2015
Here's a video showing one of the skunks running around: