Red Sox star mourns earthquake-ravaged Venezuela after home run, tossed by umpire minutes later
An emotional night at Fenway Park saw Red Sox star Wilson Contreras go from tears over the damage in Venezuela to a controversial ejection Monday during the Red Sox’s 6-3 victory over the Nationals.
Contreras, whose home country was rocked by an earthquake Wednesday, crushed a 421-foot, three-run homer off Nationals right-hander Miles Mikolas into the left-center field seats in the first inning.
Interim manager Chad Tracy keeps the brawl going after Contreras gets thrown. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) ((Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)
As Contreras rounded the bases, he flipped his bat, hit the helmet with both hands and yelled, “Venezuela,” at the Red Sox.
In the dugout, Contreras broke down as teammates and coaches hugged him.
A FORMER DINNER MEETS A PITCHER ALMOST DEATH IN VENEZUELA FROM THE EARTHQUAKE THANKS TO THE ABSENCE OF LIF.
After hitting a check in the second inning, home plate umpire Nic Lentz ruled that Contreras was gone.
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Returning to the dugout, Contreras quietly touched his helmet, signaling the ABS challenge. But Lentz quickly took out Contreras after a hat tap.
WATCH:
Willson Contreras is ejected after a heated argument with the umpires in the second inning. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) ((Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)
Fenway Fireworks! Willson Contreras smashes a first inning home run to put the Red Sox ahead. (Photo by Natalie Reid/MLB Pictures via Getty Images) ((Photo by Natalie Reid/MLB Photos via Getty Images))
Interim manager Chad Tracy rushed to dispute the call but was unable to reverse the decision.
The decision was thrown by the NESN broadcast, where Red Sox analyst Will Middlebrooks cursed the dismissal during the broadcast.
“Are you kidding me? How soft are we?” Middlebrooks said, calling the release “a complete joke” and “an embarrassment to the game.”
“The game needs the best players on the field. This is an entertainment business. It’s for the fans. What are you doing? You’re going to take a guy out of the game for that?”
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Contreras said before Monday’s game: “It’s really painful to live like this. It’s really hard to break up or lie that we’re good because we have to work.”
“We are professionals. We have to show up and work. But it’s really difficult when you know what’s happening in Venezuela … we’re trying to do it, and at the same time we’re trying ways to help.”
Boston held on for a 6-3 victory behind Contreras’ three-run homer and a home run from Caleb Durbin, but his controversial ejection was the focus of the game.
(JUNE 28) High heat and short fuses: Willson Contreras brings passion—and fireworks—to Fenway. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) ((Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images))
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