Nationals, Red Sox look to avoid fracas in series finale

Tensions have been high in the first two contests of the three-game series pitting the Washington Nationals and the host Boston Red Sox, with Boston's Willson Contreras getting ejected both times.

The teams will look to keep their emotions in check on Wednesday afternoon in the decisive game of the set.

There was a fracas in the fourth inning of Washington's 8-1 win on Tuesday, starting after Cade Cavalli struck out Contreras. Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said he heard Cavalli yell, "Sit down, boy" after the strikeout, although the pitcher told reporters, "I don't know. I just lose my head in it. I'm competitive. I just told him to sit down."

Contreras had to be restrained as both benches emptied. He later tossed his batting helmet toward Cavalli during the melee and was ejected. Boston outfielder Nate Eaton and Washington pitcher Miles Mikolas, neither of whom was playing in the game, and Tracy also were tossed out.

Contreras hit a three-run homer against Mikolas during Boston's 6-3 victory on Monday. Contreras later was ejected from that game when he tapped his helmet as if he were asking for an ABS challenge after being called out on a check swing.

"He was instigating, and I snapped," Contreras said of the altercation with Cavalli, per NESN. "I feel like everything's against me right now. Got ejected (Monday) night for nothing. Got ejected (Tuesday) even though I was walking back to the dugout. I'm not gonna say much because every time I say something it's going to be used against me. ... I've played the Nationals forever. Never had a problem with them."

Cavalli placed the blame for the fracas on Contreras and said the latter brushed him while coming off the field in the first inning. Contreras said he immediately apologized. Cavalli said that was not the case.

"It's part of the game," Cavalli said. "Emotions are high, and he's just been doing stuff. You look in the first inning, he runs past me, brushes me, which is something you don't do in baseball. I think he knows that. I didn't say anything. I looked at him, and then a few words were said after the strikeout. It's part of the game, and he's gonna let everybody run out there (on the field) and try to (do) whatever he does -- throw a helmet. Get himself tossed.

"I think our team responded in a great way. You know it's really not a big deal. It's just part of the game. We got right back to business."

Boston's Payton Tolle (4-5, 2.78 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against fellow left-hander Andrew Alvarez (1-1, 3.44) of Washington. Both pitchers will face the opposing team for the first time in their careers.

Tolle snapped a three-game losing streak by allowing one hit over seven scoreless innings in a 6-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday night.

Alvarez took the loss last Friday after permitting two runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings of a 3-1 setback against the Baltimore Orioles.

Red Sox starting pitcher Connelly Early left Tuesday's game after four innings with discomfort in his left elbow.

"He's in decent spirits, but we're going to get an imaging (Wednesday)," Tracy said.

Said Early: "It's tough. I thought it was going really well. I felt really good going into the game. Just a little unfortunate thing that happened there, but we'll see what happens (after imaging)."

James Wood collected three of Washington's 12 hits in Tuesday's win. Keibert Ruiz went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

--Field Level Media