By Ben Fractenberg
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Call him Mr. March.
Curtis Granderson smashed a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning to carry the New York Yankees over the Detroit Tigers 6-3 in their season opener on Thursday at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees had to battle rain, wind and temperatures in the 30s throughout the game.
"It was great—except for the weather," Granderson told the Associated Press.
First baseman Mark Teixeira started things off offensively for the Yankees with a three-run blast off Tigers starter Justin Verlander in the third inning with Derek Jeter and Russell Martin on base.
A trimmed down CC Sabathia started his third opener for the Bronx Bombers, allowing three runs and six hits over six innings of work. The tall left-hander lost 25 pounds in the offseason and looked healthy on the mound after off-season knee surgery.
Mariano Rivera pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his 560th career save for New York.
The win came as the team played their first ever game in the month of March.
The Yankees, who are off tomorrow, will send A.J. Burnett to the mound on Saturday against Tigers right-hander Brad Penny.
