Wilson Contreras hit a three-run homer for the Red Sox on Monday night and showed raw emotion tied to earthquakes that struck Venezuela last Wednesday.
The first baseman sent a 421-foot blast off Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas over the left-center field wall at Fenway Park in the bottom of the first inning. He flipped his bat, screamed "Venezuela" to teammates and later cried on the bench as coaches and players offered hugs.
Contreras was ejected in the second inning after disputing a strikeout call by umpire Nic Lentz. Replays showed he completed his swing, and the ruling could not be challenged.
In a Friday press conference Contreras said it was hard to focus on baseball while seeking ways to help his home country. "It's really tough when you know what's going on in Venezuela," he said.
Four other Venezuelans are on the Red Sox roster. Andruw Monasterio took over at first base after the ejection.
