BOSTON (AP) — Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras is carrying a heavy heart as his home country of Venezuela continues to reel from the destruction caused by two major earthquakes that have claimed hundreds of lives.
Unable to leave his team and fly home to assist in relief efforts, Contreras found a way to channel his grief on Monday night during a game against Washington. He launched a towering 421-foot home run, then flipped his bat and shouted “Venezuela” toward the Boston dugout before completing his trip around the bases. The blast was his 18th home run of the season and part of a three-run shot that helped Boston secure a 6-3 win.
The emotion came pouring out when Contreras returned to the dugout, where he broke down in tears.
“Everything that’s going on in Venezuela, it’s not easy to hide,” Contreras told reporters after the game. “It’s not easy just to show up and play with everything that is going on in my country.”
Contreras described the deep frustration of watching the crisis unfold from thousands of miles away, knowing that people in his homeland are suffering while he is unable to physically be there to help.
“I feel like I could be there helping people and I can’t do that,” he said. “And the homer just represents something that I pray to God for it to happen, because that’s the only thing I can do for Venezuela right now physically. And that’s why I was emotional.”
The 34-year-old was born in Puerto Cabello, a city roughly three hours west of the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. He expressed frustration over reports that volunteers and aid shipments were struggling to reach those most in need following last week’s earthquakes.
“It sucks seeing so many bad things going on in Venezuela,” Contreras said. “I don’t think we deserve all of this. We’re a good people. Good country. We are good people.”
Contreras’ night on the field was cut short when first base umpire Nic Lentz ejected him in the second inning. Lentz ruled that Contreras had failed to hold back his swing on a pitch from Miles Mikolas, resulting in a strikeout call.
