Tigers join elite ranks with 6-0 start

CLEVELAND -- The Tigers are 6-0 for the first time since 1985, and the fourth time in franchise history. They also won their first six in 1984 on their way to 9-0 and 35-5. They went 6-0 in 1911 as well.

That's just the beginning of the feats the Tigers have pulled off with their start, courtesy of baseball-reference.com:

• Detroit's 47 runs scored marks their highest run total through the first six games of a season since 1929, when they also scored 47. Their inaugural 1901 team scored 50, which remains the standard today.
• The Tigers' 16 runs allowed in that stretch is their lowest total over the first six games since the 1984 team allowed just 10 runs.
• Detroit's plus-31 run differential is a franchise record, passing the plus-28 run differential of the 1903 team during its 5-1 start.
• The 31-run differential is the best of any Major League team six games into a season since the 2002 Giants outscored opponents by a 41-5 margin on their way to a 6-0 start.
• The Tigers have trailed for one inning through their first six games.

Those are impressive numbers. Even so, they're trying to downplay the standards. Asked to put it into perspective, manager Brad Ausmus paused.

"I'll put it into perspective: It's the first week of the season, and I'm not ready to throw any parties," Ausmus said.