A.J. Burnett pitched 5 2/3 stellar innings and Curtis Granderson haunted his former team with a pair of spectacular catches as the New York Yankees staved off elimination with a 10-1 rout of the host Detroit Tigers in Tuesday's Game 4 of the American League Division Series.

The much-maligned Burnett (1-0), who was not scheduled to start in the ALDS, allowed only a solo home run to Victor Martinez to win for the second time in seven postseason starts in three seasons with New York.

New York broke it open with a six-run eighth inning to force a winner-take-all Game 5 Thursday at Yankee Stadium, with the winner advancing to play Texas in the AL Championship Series.

Yankees rookie Ivan Nova will oppose Doug Fister on Thursday in a rematch of sorts after they both pitched in relief of the rain-suspended Game 1.

Derek Jeter had a two-run double to supply an early cushion and Robinson Cano had a two-single in the eighth as the Yankees snapped a five-game road losing streak in postseason elimination games.

Granderson set the tone in the first inning by making a leaping catch of Don Kelly's bases-loaded line drive in center field to save at least two runs. He also made a spectacular diving catch in left-center to rob Jhonny Peralta and end the sixth inning.

Alex Rodriguez had his first two hits of the series and Russell Martin, Brett Gardner and Jesus Montero added two hits apiece for New York, which got spotless relief from a trio of relievers.