Yankees' Ellsbury 'didn't appreciate' beaning in Fenway finale

Jacoby Ellsbury called Boston home for roughly seven years earlier in his career, earning a pair of World Series championships during his tenure with the Red Sox while endearing himself to legions of fans.

Sunday night, though, Ellsbury was struck - quite literally - by the reality of sporting a Yankees uniform at Fenway Park.

His team endowed with a three-run lead, Ellsbury was hit in the right gluteus by a 3-0 fastball from Edward Mujica in the eighth inning of the series finale in Boston - an apparent gesture of retaliation after the Yankees hit Hanley Ramirez three innings earlier.

Ellsbury, who spurned the Red Sox for a seven-year deal with the Yankees prior to the 2014 campaign, was none too impressed.

"You throw one up and in and then 3-0, you come at me," Ellsbury told WEEI's Mike Petraglia. "I don't really care what they're trying to do over there but (just what) we're trying to do, so I just took my base and let them know I didn't appreciate it.

"I don't need to get thrown out. I don't need to miss any games. I realize my importance to my team. It didn't hurt anyway. If it hurt … I didn't even feel it. He's just lucky I didn’t steal two bases off him."

Ellsbury, who never shared a clubhouse with Mujica in Boston, had already collected four hits in as many at-bats when he stepped into the batter's box in the eighth inning. Still, he showed considerable restraint for a guy who had just taken a fastball in the backside:

I wasn't really looking at him. I know I glanced over his way and stood there for a second. I wasn't really worried about what he had to say. I didn't say anything. I just took my base. Like I said, I like where we're headed. There's no reason for me to miss any games. I know how valuable I am to this team. That's the approach I took.

If I were 0-fer, I don't think they'd throw at me. There was just no need for it. I was happy about it. I really wanted to score the time I got hit. I was hoping they would give me something to hit in my last at-bat. I got walked on four straight pitches

Often lauded for his command, Mujica's errant pitch also raised some eyebrows in the Yankees dugout.

"I thought it was a little bit fishy," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "But only Mujica knows for sure."