CLEVELAND — As the Guardians prepare to face the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series, some familiar friends are back in Cleveland.
The midges have emerged.
The annual phenomenon evokes memories of October 2007, when the then-named Indians also hosted the Bronx Bombers in the ALDS. The second game of the series often comes up in conversation, not necessarily because of the game, but because of the insects that took over.
In what forever became known as the "Bug Game," hoards of midges descended on the Yanks as they pitched and fielded in the bottom of the eighth inning, with coaches coming out of the dugout to coat the players with bug spray. It didn't help reliever Joba Chamberlain, who spiked a wild pitch that brought home Grady Sizemore to tie things up.
New York would later cry foul and say the bugs put them at a disadvantage, although it is worth noting that Cleveland pitcher Roberto Hernández (still known as Fausto Carmona at that time) shut the Yankees down in the ninth despite similar conditions. The Tribe went on to win that game and eventually the series, and 15 years later, the infamous insects are once again hanging around Downtown.
"They're now coming up to the surface and emerging out," Jake Kudrna, a naturalist for Cleveland Metroparks, said.
While the insects are harmless, they can be irritating. Kudrna told 3News there could be millions — if not more than a billion — midges popping up from Lake Erie. While they remain a piece of history for postseason baseball in Cleveland, they're also a sign that the is healthy.
"To see these big hatches or emergences happening year after year is a good sign," Kudrna explained, adding that as larvae the midges eat "scum" and "muck" at the bottom of the water. "Right now, we're seeing the larvae are emerging from that breeding cycle, so we're having a new emergence."
The emergence of the midges is more prevalent the closer you are to Lake Erie. Kudrna told 3News they typically survive for about one week, which aligns for them to possibly be at Progressive Field when the Yankees visit Saturday.