Cano drove in six runs, including two run-scoring doubles, to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five American League division series after a prolonged game that began on Friday but was suspended because of rain.
It resumed on a chilly night in the Bronx with the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning with Doug Fister on the mound for Detroit and Ivan Nova pitching for New York.
The hard-hitting second baseman snapped the tie with a near home run in the fifth when his shot to left landed right on top of the eight-foot wall and bounced back on the field.
Television replays confirmed it was a double and not a home run but it still allowed Curtis Granderson to score and make it 2-1.
Cano left no doubt about his home run bid in the next inning, belting an 0-1 pitch from reliever Al Alburquerque into the second deck in right with the bases loaded to cap a six-run burst that made it 8-1.
The towering blast came after a two-run single by Brett Gardner off Fister had padded the lead to 4-1.
The 24-year-old Nova, who posted a 16-4 mark this season, got the win, holding down the Tigers with six shutout innings before being charged with a pair of runs in the ninth.
Detroit rallied in the ninth against a tiring Nova and reliever Luis Ayala, scoring two runs and loading the bases with two outs.
All-time saves leader Mariano Rivera was summoned to put out the fire and the Panamanian did just that, striking out Wilson Betemit on three pitches to end the game.
In Sunday's second game, New York's Freddy Garcia (12-8) will take the mound against Max Scherzer (15-9). The best-of-five series shifts to Detroit for Game Three on Monday.
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