2011 MLB Playoffs: Robinson Cano, Yankees Slam Tigers 9-3 in ALDS Game 1 Win

Going into Saturday night, all eyes were on the weather, following the postponing of Game 1 on Friday night.

The weather was all clear, and we were good to resume baseball at Yankee Stadium.

When 8:37 p.m. hit, the bottom of the second inning resumed for Game 1 of the ALDS between the Yankees and the Tigers.

The Yankees put in Ivan Nova, who was taking over for CC Sabathia, who pitched the first two innings on Friday.

The Tigers put in Doug Fister, taking over for Justin Verlander, who struggled to get out of the first inning.

Fister struggled in his first inning of work, as he put runners on second and third, but he got Brett Gardner to hit into a fielder's choice and struck out Derek Jeter and Curtis Granderson to escape trouble.

As far as Nova goes, he was absolutely fantastic pitching in his first postseason game as a rookie.

Nova was attacking the strike zone and cruising early.

But in the top of the fifth inning, Nova ran into some trouble.

After walking Alex Avila and allowing a single by Ryan Raburn to make it first and second with one out, Jhonny Peralta singled to center, but Granderson gunned it to Jeter, and Jeter gunned it to Russell Martin, tagging out Avila to stop the Tigers from scoring.

In the bottom half of the fifth, the Yankees finally got to Fister.

Robinson Cano hit a ball deep to left field, which hit off the top of the wall and got ruled a double, scoring Granderson, which gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Yankees blew the game wide open.

Brett Gardner singled, which scored Mark Teixeira and Jorge Posada, making it 4-1 Yankees.

Fister loaded the bases for Cano, but Tigers manager Jim Leyland pulled Fister to put in right-handed reliever Al Alburquerque.

Cano took his second pitch and drove it into the second deck for a grand slam, and the Yankees were now up 8-1.

Cano got another RBI double off Daniel Schlereth to make it 9-1.

Nova seemed to run out of gas in the ninth, as he loaded the bases, and Luis Ayala struggled to get out of the ninth giving up a few hits, which gave the Tigers a little life, so Joe Girardi called on Mariano Rivera to strike out Wilson Betemit to end the game and give the Yankees a 9-3 Game 1 win.

Nova went 6.1 innings, allowed four hits, two runs, walked four and struck out five in the winning effort. If the Yankees have to go to a Game 5, Nova would get the ball back at Yankee Stadium for it.

If Nova can continue to pitch like that, he will be a dangerous weapon for the Yankees on the mound. The best thing he did on Saturday night was attack the strike zone. He didn't back down from hitters like Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez.

Nova didn't pitch like a rookie in Game 1. He pitched like a seasoned playoff veteran, and that can only help the Yankees going forward.

Fister lasted 4.2 innings, gave up seven hits, six runs, walked two and struck out six and took the loss.

Fister pitched very well for Detroit in the second half, but he was hardly that guy for Detroit in Game 1. There were times where he got out of jams, but for the most part, Fister really struggled to figure out the Yankees lineup.

Cano was definitely the star tonight, going 3-for-5 with the grand slam, two doubles and six RBI.

Now up 1-0, the Yankees will send Freddy Garcia to the mound while the Tigers will counter with the hard-throwing Max Scherzer.

Everyone wondered if the rain would have any lingering effects on the Yankees on Saturday, and clearly, the Yankees were barely even phased by the rain delay. They swung the bats well and they got a great performance out of Nova.

The Tigers on the other hand, looked very sluggish. They struggled to figure out Nova and the veteran Yankee lineup made the Tigers pitchers struggle on the mound.

Now, going into Game 2, the Yankees must take the momentum they have from Game 1 and continue it into Sunday's game.

Winning the first game is always important in a series. Now, if the Yankees can take the second one from Detroit, they will be in the drivers seat in the ALDS.

One down, 10 to go for No. 28 for Yankees Universe.