Aug 25, 2025, 11:41 PM ET

ST. LOUIS — First baseman Willson Contreras threw a bat that mistakenly hit his own coach and tossed bubble gum on the field after he was ejected in the St. Louis Cardinals‘ 7-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.

Manager Oliver Marmol was also tossed during an animated argument with the umpires after a called third strike in the seventh inning.

According to the Belleville (Ill.) News Democrat, the crew chief for Monday’s game, Jordan Baker, said Contreras and Marmol both were ejected for “vulgar” language.

“That’s what I was confused about. I’ve looked at the video before coming back out here. I didn’t see what (home plate umpire Derek Thomas) said about what came out of Willson’s mouth,” Marmol said in his postgame media availability. “Looking at the video, I just don’t see it. But it did catch me off guard. So, we’ll continue to review, and make sure everyone is on the same page.

“I don’t think — from what I understand, in talking with Willson — there’s anything to get ejected for. … It was unfortunate.”

Contreras began walking toward his team’s dugout after being rung up on a pitch that landed inside the imaginary box on the game broadcast, indicating a strike. He began to look back at Thomas, who ejected Contreras. Marmol then went to hold back Contreras as he went after the umpire.

“I’m still wondering to be honest,” Contreras said after the win, when asked what all went into the ejection. “I don’t think he had reasons to throw me out. I didn’t argue any pitch in any at-bat. I didn’t argue any pitch in my last at-bat.

“He threw me out, he had no reason for it. Apparently, he heard something that I said. But I did not say that. And then after that, I’ll just leave it at that.”

During the fracas, Cardinals bench coach Daniel Descalso eventually grabbed Contreras and led him away. But Contreras then appeared to throw his bat at first base umpire Stu Scheurwater, but it instead struck Cardinals hitting coach Brant Brown on his arm. Contreras, who went 1 for 4 with two RBIs, walked into the dugout and tossed gum onto the field.

“I was just walking back to the dugout with my head down,” Contreras said of the prelude to the argument. “I knew I had struck out. I didn’t argue in any at-bat, because I know he’s a good umpire.”

The Cardinals registered the victory when Alec Burleson hit a solo home run with two outs in the ninth inning.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.