DETROIT – Detroit Tigers catcher James McCann was drilled in the head by a 98 mph fastball Thursday after the benches cleared in the Yankees-Tigers game at Comerica Park.
Dellin Betances threw the pitch that hit McCann an inning after Miguel Cabrera incited a brawl by throwing punches at Yankees backup catcher Austin Romine, brother of Tigers utility man Andrew Romine.
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READ: Tigers' Miguel Cabrera incites brawl with Yankees after throwing punches at backup catcher
This is getting out of hand. Dellin Betances hits James McCann in the head 😳pic.twitter.com/Pp6yBw19OA
— Baseball King™ (@BasebaIlKing) August 24, 2017
Cabrera had confronted Austin Romine after a pitch was thrown at Cabrera earlier in the at-bat. Yankees star Gary Sanchez had been hit by a pitch earlier in the game.
Sanchez has four home runs in the series, including one earlier in Thursday's game.
Cabrera was 0-3 with a strikeout in the game. He is having the worst season of his career, slugging just .405 with a below-average .743 OPS.
WATCH: Heated exchange between Justin Verlander, V-Mart in Tigers dugout after brawl with Yankees
The Tigers were leading the game 6-3 in the sixth inning, but the Yankees have embarrassed the Tigers in front of their home crowd the last two nights. On Tuesday night, the Yankees won 13-4. On Wednesday, the Yankees won 10-2.
The Yankees currently hold the top wildcard spot in the American League, while the Tigers are the second-worst team in the AL with a 54-71 record.
More Big time trouble.. Betances nails MCCann in the head..getting ugly pic.twitter.com/22v3uppuah
— Boston Sports Info (@bostonsportsinf) August 24, 2017
Yankees pitchers rn pic.twitter.com/wCbr49Rqf2
— SI MLB (@si_mlb) August 24, 2017