MLB

Yankees’ A-Rod drilled by pitch from Red Sox starter Dempster, Rodriguez gets revenge with home run

Joe Girardi argues with home plate umpire Brian O'Nora after Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch. Girardi ended up getting ejected.

Joe Girardi argues with home plate umpire Brian O’Nora after Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch. Girardi ended up getting ejected. (AP)

Rodriguez is tended to by a trainer at first base.

Rodriguez is tended to by a trainer at first base. (Getty Images)

BOSTON — More than one player has expressed displeasure about Alex Rodriguez being allowed to play while he appeals his 211-game suspension.

Ryan Dempster was the first player to do something about it, drilling the third baseman in his left elbow leading off the top of the second inning of the Yankees-Red Sox game Sunday night.

Dempster wasn’t subtle about his intention, having barely missed Rodriguez on the previous pitch and then going right back at him.

Home plate umpire Brian O’Nora didn’t eject Dempster and instead warned both teams, making a tense situation even worse as players and coaches from both teams poured onto the field.

An infuriated Joe Girardi stormed at O’Nora, arguing that Dempster should have been tossed and was ejected himself, while center fielder Brett Gardner had to be held back after running out of the dugout.

Girardi could also be seen screaming at Dempster.

It all came shortly after another bizarre press conference in which GM Brian Cashman all but accused Rodriguez of lying to him in another layer of the ever-escalating feud between the two sides.

Dempster’s move ended up backfiring strategically, as Dempster then surrendered a double to Curtis Granderson, a run-scoring single to Eduardo Nunez and a sacrifice fly to Lyle Overbay, allowing the Yankees to tie the score at 2-2.

Rodriguez got a measure of revenge leading off the sixth by taking Dempster deep to center. He clapped his hands as he rounded first and then stopped at home plate and pointed at the sky, eliciting another round of loud boos from the crowd, which chanted “Steroids” as he jogged back to the dugout.

The Yankees won the game, 9-6.