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BOSTON - Alex Rodriguez responded to being hit by a pitch the best way he knows how — with a home run. And his teammates followed his lead. "It was awesome. I was pretty excited," Rodriguez said of the homer that started the Yankees go-ahead rally. "It was the ultimate payback." Rodriguez was hit by a fastball his first time up and then hit the 649th homer of his career to start a four-run sixth inning that carried New York to a 9-6 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night. Yankees manager Joe Girardi was ejected after storming out of the dugout to holler at plate umpire Brian ONora, who warned both benches immediately after Rodriguez was plunked by Ryan Dempsters 3-0 pitch leading off the second inning. It struck his left elbow pad and ricocheted off his back. Girardi felt the incident sparked the Yankees. "Im sure it did," he said. "They rallied and responded." Rodriguez, who went 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs, was suspended recently for 211 games by Major League Baseball in the Biogenesis drug case. He appealed the penalty and can play until there is a final decision. "Whether you like me or hate me, whats wrong is wrong," he said of being hit. "That was unprofessional and silly." Under the collective bargaining agreement, Rodriguez has the right to appeal. "Whether I agree with everything thats going on, you do not throw at people and you dont take the law into your own hands," Girardi said. "You cant just start taking potshots because you disagree with the way the system is set up." Girardi and Rodriguez said Dempster threw at Rodriguez intentionally. And Girardi said Dempster should have been ejected and should be suspended. Rodriguez declined to comment on any punishment for the pitcher. "Im the wrong guy to be asking about suspensions," he said with a smile. Players streamed from the dugouts and benches, but no skirmishes developed in the latest testy game between the longtime rivals. The dustup seemed to spark the Yankees, who were trailing 2-0 at the time. Mariano Rivera earned his first save since blowing three chances in a row for the first time in his career. "Im sure any hitter that hits a home run the next time up after youve been hit, it feels good," said Dempster, who denied throwing at Rodriguez. "Its just reality. It was unfortunate because it started the inning off with a run." Bostons lead in the AL East was cut to one game over Tampa Bay. The game took 4 hours, 12 minutes. One Yankee drew loud cheers from the Fenway Park crowd. Rivera received a standing ovation as he ran in from the bullpen for the ninth. In his first appearance since last Sunday, he got his 36th save in 41 opportunities. With two runners on, Rivera retired Jarrod Saltalamacchia on a fly ball for the final out. CC Sabathia (11-10) got the win and the Yankees took two of three from the first-place Red Sox. Booed every time he came to bat — and even when he was on deck in the first — Rodriguez drew more jeers after he led off the sixth with a homer off Dempster (6-9) to cut the lead to 6-4. Brett Gardner soon followed with a three-run triple off Drake Britton. As Rodriguezs second homer of the year landed in the centre field bleachers, he clapped his hands and let out a shout at first base. Then he clapped again and pointed both hands skyward as he crossed home plate. He continued to the dugout where he was congratulated by teammates. The rally continued when the Yankees loaded the bases with one out on singles by Eduardo Nunez and Lyle Overbay and a walk to Chris Stewart before Gardner tripled. Rodriguez was one of four Yankees hit by pitches, but his was the only one that appeared to be intentional. On Rodriguezs first at bat, Dempster "pitched much like Ryan has done (in) many starts," said Boston manager John Farrell, who denied that Dempster was throwing at Rodriguez. "He established his fastball. There are hitters in the lineup and hes got to establish it in. We saw later on when he doesnt establish his fastball in. Rodriguez gets his arms extended and he drives the ball out to centre field." Dempsters first pitch went behind Rodriguezs knees as fans chanted "Youre a cheater!" The next two pitches were inside before the fourth pitch struck Rodriguez. He walked slowly to first base, accompanied by a trainer and staring at Dempster but not making a move toward the mound. In 12 games since his season debut after recovering from hip and quadriceps problems, Rodriguez is batting .319 with two homers and six RBIs. Boston had taken a 2-0 lead in the first on a sacrifice fly by Jonny Gomes and an RBI single by Saltalamacchia. New York tied it in the second when Rodriguez was hit, took third on a double by Curtis Granderson and scored on a single by Nunez. Overbay followed with a sacrifice fly. Rodriguezs run-scoring groundout gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead in the third before the Red Sox tied it in the bottom of the inning on an RBI groundout by David Ortiz. The Red Sox took a 5-3 lead in the fourth on Stephen Drews sacrifice fly and Will Middlebrooks 10th homer. A bases-loaded walk to Daniel Nava boosted the lead to 6-3 in the fifth. After the four-run sixth, the Yankees added RBI singles by Mark Reynolds in the seventh and Stewart in the ninth. "Today kind of brought us together," Rodriguez said. "Joes reaction was amazing. Every single one of my teammates came up to me and said hit a (homer)." NOTES: New Yorks Alfonso Soriano went 0 for 6 after batting .682 with five homers and 18 RBIs in his previous five games. ... Yankees SS Nunez left the game in the sixth with a tight right hamstring. ... Boston 1B Mike Napoli missed his second straight game with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. ... Yankees SS Derek Jeter (strained right calf) increased his movement in fielding drills on Sunday, including some spin moves on grounders up the middle, during his third day of workouts at the teams complex in Tampa, Fla. Jeter took batting practice, but isnt running the bases. Girardi said Jeter wont be ready to return for Tuesdays doubleheader against Toronto. ... Dempster is 0-6 with a 7.57 ERA against the Yankees in his career. Ecco Shoes Clearance Canada . The Tournament of Champions, which starts Friday, is his first event since a freak accident in Shanghai two months ago. Snedeker was on a Segway scooter during a corporate outing at Sheshan International when he took a tumble and injured his left knee. Wholesale Ecco Shoes . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. Getting Creative The Pittsburgh Penguins will try their best to acquire Ryan Kesler from the Vancouver Canucks before the Trade Deadline. http://www.saleeccocanada.com/.Y. -- Dallas Stars coach Lindy Ruff had an opportunity to experience an entire range of emotions in his first trip back to Buffalo to face his former team. Discount Ecco Shoes . The All-Pro left tackle agreed to a five-year contract with the Eagles on Wednesday. Peters was signed for 2014, and his new deal adds four years through 2018. Cheap Ecco Shoes Online . There was little fanfare, though, when the Yankees captain was taken out of his final regular-season Subway Series game in the eighth inning. Jeter watched the last four outs from the bench, pulled off the field during a double switch Thursday night as the Yankees held off the Mets 1-0.CHICAGO - Pekka Rinne and the Nashville Predators have had a frustrating season. On Sunday night, they were able to deal a dose of frustration to the Chicago Blackhawks. Rinne made 29 saves for his first shutout in more than a year to lead Nashville to a 2-0 win over Chicago. Mike Fisher and Gabriel Bourque scored for the Predators, who won their second straight and improved to 3-1 against the Blackhawks this season. "You saw tonight exactly what Pekka Rinne can do for you," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. When hes healthy. Rinne, a two-time Vezina Trophy finalist had surgery on his left hip in May 2013 and recovered in time to play in nine of the Predators first 10 games to start the season. But an infection in the hip required him to undergo a second surgery and he missed 51 games. Rinne was sharp in his 31st career shutout, his first since March 12, 2013, as Chicago dominated territorially in the first two periods and outshot Nashville 29-17 for the game. "It feels good after tonights win," Rinne said. "Against a top team like that, its going to get the best out of you and we showed that as team tonight." Rinne has started nine of 11 games since returning in a 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh on March 4. But in three games before Sunday, he allowed 13 goals while taking two losses and a no-decision. "Obviously, I never thought it was going to be this kind of season," Rinne said. "I put that behind me now and Im focusing on these last games we have left ... and at the same time having a good summer and being ready to the next season." The Predators are all but out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference. On Sunday, Nashville forced the Blackhawks to shoot from the perimeter and limited second and third chances as the game went on. "It started with us getting the shot from the outside that he can see and control," defenceman Ryan Ellis said. "But hes one of the best in the league. He came out of the net and played (the puck) well and overall was just unreal tonight." Chicago came out flying despite playing its second game without Patrick Kane, the teams leading scorer when he was injured against St. Louis on Wednesday. The star forward is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and could miss the rest of the regular season. But once Nashville got a lead and as the game progressed, the Predators defence and Rinne took over. "We had a good start, had a couple great looks at the net, missed the net, missed the opportunities there." Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "They scored first and it was the same, exact same as what hhappened the other day.dddddddddddd. "They get the lead, go into a checkfest, and they check well." Chicago fell six points behind Western Conference and Central Division leader St. Louis, which defeated Pittsburgh 1-0 earlier on Sunday. The Blackhawks Corey Crawford made 15 saves. Predators defenceman Seth Jones suffered concussion-like symptoms didnt return for the second period. Hell be evaluated when the team returns to Nashville. Forward Patric Hornqvist, tied for second on the Predators with 38 points, missed the game and returned to Nashville to be with his wife following the birth of the couples first child. The Blackhawks outshot the Predators 11-6 in the first and dominated much of the period, but Nashville led 1-0 after 20 minutes. Fisher opened the scoring on a deflection with 1:22 remaining in the first when he slipped in unchecked from the left side of the net. Ellis shot through a screen from the right point, and Fisher jammed in front and tipped the puck past Crawford. The Blackhawks came out strong in the second, but Rinne stopped several close-in chances and limited rebounds to keep the Predators ahead. Bourque made it 2-0 with 2:25 left in the period on a rising shot from the left circle that sailed over Crawfords right shoulder as he dropped to the ice. In the third, Rinne came through when tested and managed the puck conservatively, often smothering it to eliminate Chicago rebounds and chances. Rinne stopped Niklas Hjalmarssons screened shot from the point in the final minute, then sprawled to stop Jonathan Toews rebound attempt from the side of the net. Notes: Trotz praised his teams defensive play, but singled out star defenceman Shea Weber who logged 34 minutes, 14 seconds. "Our defence, especially Weber, was an absolutely monster out there today," Trotz said. "It was worth every penny watching him. Before the game, Quenneville said theres "a good chance" top prospect Teuvo Teravainen could make his NHL debut on Tuesday against Dallas. Teravainen, Chicagos first-round draft pick in 2012, joined the Blackhawks on Friday and has been skating with the team. ... F Matt Carey, 22, signed by Chicago as a free agent on Thursday following one season at St. Lawrence University, also has joined the Blackhawks and could play down the stretch. ... Chicago F Brandon Saad returned on Sunday after missing three games with an upper-body injury. F Bryan Bickell and D Michal Rozsival remained out. ... Sitting out with injuries for Nashville were F Patrick Eaves and F Paul Gaustad. D Michael Del Zotto was a healthy scratch. ' ' '