Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras was tossed for the second consecutive game Tuesday after hurling his helmet at Washington Nationals starter Cade Cavalli during a heated fourth-inning confrontation. The trouble started when Cavalli struck out Contreras on a full-count pitch, then taunted him with 'Sit down bro' as he walked back to the dugout.

Contreras had already apologized for Monday's excessive bat flip celebration after homering off Miles Mikolas, but that didn't prevent escalation when he charged the mound. Boston Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez tried restraining him before Contreras broke free to throw his helmet. Both benches emptied but the situation cooled quickly.

The ejections included Contreras, interim manager Chad Tracy, outfielder Nate Eaton, and Mikolas. This marks the first time in Boston's 126-year history that a player has been ejected in back-to-back games. Contreras has been dealing with personal turmoil as his native Venezuela recovers from devastating earthquakes.

The incident overshadowed what was shaping up as a competitive midseason matchup, leaving both teams shorthanded for the remainder of the series.