DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers have taken a pounding from the New York Yankees this week, and Miguel Cabrera decided Thursday he was going to fight back.
Unfortunately, he didn't do it with his play. After a pitch was thrown at Cabrera in the bottom of the sixth inning, he shoved backup catcher Austin Romine with both hands and started throwing punches.
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Cabrera and Romine eventually fell to the ground as the dugouts and bullpens emptied onto the field. A brawl involving dozens of players from the two teams broke out near home plate and proceeded toward the backstop.
Yankees pitcher Tommy Kahnle was ejected for throwing at Cabrera. Cabrera was ejected after attacking Romine.
VIDEO: Tigers' James McCann hit in head with 98 mph fastball after brawl with Yankees
Earlier in the game, Yankees' star catcher Gary Sanchez was hit by a pitch. Sanchez had already hit two home runs in the series opener, a home run Wednesday and a home run earlier in the game Thursday before being plunked.
The pitch thrown at Cabrera was clearly in response to Sanchez being hit by a pitch.
Benches clear, punches thrown in Yankees-Tigers game with Miguel Cabrera and Austin Romine at the center of it. https://t.co/g32ygLF1cz pic.twitter.com/QMsJ5fEDQO
— MLB (@MLB) August 24, 2017
Romine is the brother of Tigers utility man Andrew Romine.
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 Tigers went on to blow the three-run lead in the next inning, and in the seventh, Yankees closer Dellin Betances hit Tigers catcher James McCann in the head with a fastball. The benches cleared again, and there were more ejections.
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.
Yankees-Tigers. 🥊🥊 pic.twitter.com/WhwVMi6q2B
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 24, 2017
Austin Romine and Miguel Cabrera get into a fight at home plate and it escalates into a benches-clearing brawl.
pic.twitter.com/mpqgbyguCB
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) August 24, 2017