BOSTON -- Yankees manager Joe Girardi finally found a spot he liked for Alex Rodriguez.Two more games and he wont have to worry about it.Benched from the starting lineup once again as his finale approaches, Rodriguez pinch hit and flied out in the seventh inning of New Yorks 9-4 comeback win against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.I was looking for a three-run homer so I went to him, Girardi said of A-Rod. Just missed it.Red Sox star David Ortiz limped off in the ninth inning after fouling a pitch off his right shin. Boston said X-rays were negative.My heart sank a little bit when I saw it, but I just saw him and I feel much better, Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said.New York received another health scare when pitcher Nathan Eovaldi left after one inning because of right elbow discomfort.Chants of `We Want A-Rod! echoed around the park at the start of the seventh. He was greeted by loud boos when he stepped out of the dugout to face Matt Barnes. They were louder when he was announced and again when he trotted back to the dugout after his flyout to right field, which dropped his batting average to .203 and extended his slump to 4 for 37 (.108).Rodriguez has just one start and eight at-bats in 17 games since July 22 as New York traded veterans and turned toward a youth movement. He had not appeared in a game since Aug. 2.My job description does not entail a farewell tour, Girardi said during a pregame media session that at times was a bit testy. My job description is to try to win every game and to try to put everyone in the best possible position to do that, and thats what Im trying to do.Rookie Gary Sanchez had four hits, including his first major league home run. Didi Gregorius also homered for New York, which overcame a 4-1 deficit, and Fernando Abad (1-6) gave up Starlin Castros two-run double that capped a five-run seventh.Tyler Clippard (1-0) pitched one inning for his first victory with the Yankees since being acquired from Arizona last week. New York used seven relievers after the departure of Eovaldi, whose fastball velocity was 93-94 mph, down from 97 mph in his previous start.Eovaldi is being sent back to New York for further examination. Pitching coach Larry Rothschild noticed the velocity dip.Larry asked him again: What hurts? Girardi said. He said Im OK. He finally said he felt something in his elbow.Mookie Betts had two doubles for Boston before leaving with right calf tightness.At the beginning of his pregame media session, Girardi said Rodriguez will be in the starting lineup Thursday despite Boston scratching knuckleballer Steven Wright.New York said Sunday that Rodriguez, a 41-year-old designated hitter with 696 home runs, will be released following Fridays homestand opener against Tampa Bay.Girardi said he made a mistake by saying on Sunday that if Rodriguez wanted to play in all remaining games before his release that he would try to get him in the games.I talked to him again on Tuesday about it and said: This is what my plans were, Girardi explained. I knew he didnt like it. But, again, I have a responsibility to the game of baseball. No one individual is ever bigger than this game. No one. No one. No one.And Im not going to forget about it -- as much as weve been through together. Its hard. Believe me, its really hard.Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (2-5) will start for Boston on Thursday because Wright jammed his right shoulder while diving into a base as pinch runner against the Los Angeles Dodgers last weekend.Its about winning the games, Girardi said when asked if he liked the matchup. Thats what its always about here. Itll continue to be that way.Girardi then answered about 12 minutes of questions why A-Rod wasnt starting the first two games of the series.You could say what you want, theres a lot of relationships involved here and it bothers me sometimes because people say one thing to do and because it becomes controversial they say another and its difficult, Girardi said. When we look at this decision, were basing it on a substantial amount of at-bats -- and its not what we want. I think our hope is hed hit 30 home runs again, but that hasnt been the case this year.Girardi said he understands some may consider him a `bad guy for not playing A-Rod.It is what it is, he said. Its part of the job, I guess.Girardi explained further that Boston was in the AL East race and Tampa Bay was out of it, justifying his decision to start Rodriguez on Friday.My job is to put out what I feel is the best lineup, and thats what Im trying to do, Girardi said. Its been difficult.TRAINERS ROOMRed Sox: OF Chris Young (strained right hamstring) is scheduled to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket. Farrell said hed probably have a minimum of 20, 25 at-bats.... OF/C Blake Swihart will have season-ending surgery on his left ankle Monday. Farrell said Swihart will have a three-to-four month recovery.UP NEXTRHP Michael Pineda (6-10) starts Thursday for the Yankees. Quincy Wilson Jersey Online . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. Mike Whittington Jersey Online . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. https://www.cheapjerseysatwholesale.com/jeff-sevy-jersey-online . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. Lydell Carr Jersey Online . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. Darryl Williams Jersey Online . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. GRAPEVINE, Texas - The College Football Playoff selection committee announced its final top four of the season, and No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Ohio State and No. 4 Washington will be headed to semifinal games. The only change to the top four was that Clemson jumped the Buckeyes after beating Virginia Tech in the ACC championship.?The selection committees top six1. Alabama 2. Clemson 3. Ohio State 4. Washington 5. Penn State 6. MichiganA change in protocol for committee?The committees top six was vastly different from the first two years of the CFP because for the first time, a team that didnt win its conference title, Ohio State, was included -- instead of the Big Ten champ, Penn State. At 11-1, Ohio State impressed the committee with three wins against top 25 teams, including a road win over Big 12 champ Oklahoma. In spite of the committees high regard for the Big Ten this season, which could make the case as the best league in the country, it left out the conferences champ. It also looked past Michigans decisive 49-10 head-to-head win over Penn State when it ranked the Nittany Lions ahead of Michigan. Penn State will be going to the Rose Bowl as the Big Ten champs.The committtees final verdict calls into question not only the importance of conference championships, but also head-to-head results (as Penn State also beat Ohio State), and strength of schedule (Washingtons nonconference strength of schedule was No.dddddddddddd 127 out of 128 according to ESPNs Stats & Information group.) All of those criteria are listed specifically in the selection committees protocol, and while its a completely subjective, ambiguous system left in the hands of 12 individuals, this ranking is likely to confuse fans, coaches and athletic directors across the country.Nowhere does it say in the committees protocol, though, that a team has to be a conference champion to be in the top four.Playoff impact gamesFriday, Dec. 2Pac-12 championship game: No. 4 Washington 41, ?No. 8 Colorado 10?Saturday, Dec. 3No. 9 Oklahoma 38, No. 10 Oklahoma State 20SEC championship game: No. 1 Alabama 54, No. 15 Florida 16ACC championship game: No. 3 Clemson 42, No. 23 Virginia Tech 35Big Ten championship game:?No. 7 Penn State 38, Wisconsin 31Championship weekend schedule ' ' '