PHILADELPHIA — Boston Red Sox pitcher Brad Penny denied accusations from New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi that he deliberately hit Alex Rodriguez with a pitch.

Rodriguez was hit in the back in the first inning Thursday night at Fenway Park, prompting umpires to warn both teams. The Red Sox went on to win 4-3 and improved to 8-0 against the Yankees this season.

Penny told Boston reporters on Saturday that Girardi should have complained after the game instead of waiting until a day after the game to say it was a purpose pitch.

"I didn't hit him intentionally. I'm just pitching," Penny said. "We don't go back and say they hit us intentionally. We've got games to worry about, not that (stuff)."

Penny said he doesn't care what Girardi thinks.

"He needs to worry about managing and let the league and the umpires take are of their job and he can take care of his," he said.

Girardi said he didn't expect Penny to care about his opinion.

"He's got to do what he thinks is right and I'm OK with that," Girardi said before the Yankees hosted the New York Mets on Sunday. "It's not like I blasted Brad Penny — I just said I thought he hit Alex Rodriguez on purpose. I wasn't 100 percent sure and only Brad Penny knows.

"I shared a feeling that I had and didn't mean to stir anything up. I just said what I thought."

In the sixth inning on Tuesday night, Yankees reliever Jose Veras hit Boston's Jason Bay with a pitch.

"Penny's control was pretty good, and I thought it was on purpose," Girardi said Friday. "You know, that's all part of baseball, I guess. You know, we hit Bay, and I know Jose did not hit him on purpose. I mean, Jose has struggled with his control. But things like that happen. You know, you expect something could happen in return."