By NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer
DETROIT (AP) -- Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera and Yankees catcher Austin Romine wrestled on the ground near home plate during the first of three bench-clearing incidents in Thursday's game.
Six players were ejected, along with manager Joe Girardi and bench coach Rob Thompson of the Yankees.
New York reliever Tommy Kahnle and Girardi had just been ejected after Kahnle threw a pitch behind Cabrera in the sixth inning. With the game about to resume, Cabrera stepped toward Romine and the two exchanged words. The situation escalated when Cabrera gave Romine a two-handed push to the chest.
Cabrera and Romine were ejected.
An inning later, New York's Dellin Betances hit Detroit catcher James McCann in the helmet with a pitch, causing benches to empty again. Betances and Thompson were tossed then.
In the top of the eighth, Todd Frazier was hit by Alex Wilson, sparking another melee which led to the ejection of Wilson and Tigers manager Brad Ausmus.
The Tigers beat the Yankees 10-6 as Jose Iglesias broke a 6-6 tie with a three-run double to the gap.