Betances: Beaning McCann 'the last thing I want to do'

Things got ugly in Comerica Park during Thursday's game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers.

Benches cleared when Miguel Cabrera and Austin Romine got into a fight, though anger had been bubbling since Michael Fulmer hit Gary Sanchez with a pitch in the fifth.

Tensions boiled over for a second time when Yankees reliever Dellin Betances hit Tigers catcher James McCann in the head with a fastball only one inning later, a pitch Betances adamantly said was not on purpose.

"Obviously, the ball slipped out of my hand," Betances told YES Network. "That's the last thing I want to do. I felt like at that point everything was over. I was disappointed because it was a tie game and we're out here trying to fight for a playoff spot."

Related: Betances hits McCann in head with pitch, benches clear again

Betances was ejected after a short delay. He also said he felt that he cost his team the game by getting tossed. The dangers of causing a potential head injury was not lost on him, and underlined his postgame explanation.

"I'm not trying to hit anybody in the head," he added. "You can end somebody's career that way. That's not what I'm trying to do and that's not the kind of player I am."

McCann surprisingly stayed in the contest and later hit a solo home run to cap off a wild game.