Elias Says ...
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• Chris Shelton had two hits and drove in a run in Detroit's 5-1 win against Cleveland. Shelton now has 21 hits and 15 RBI in the Tigers' first 10 games of the season. In the last 40 years, only two other major-league players had 20-plus hits and 15-plus RBI in their team's first 10 games of a season: Lou Brock (1967 Cardinals) and Eric Karros (1995 Dodgers).
• Dontrelle Willis picked up his first win of the season Friday night, improving his career record in April to 9-0. Only two other starting pitchers in major-league history won each of their first nine decisions in April: Rick Rhoden won his first 13 (from 1975 to 1981) and Elton "Icebox" Chamberlain won his first nine (from 1887 to 1891).
• The Braves won their fifth game of the season on Friday night, and Oscar Villarreal improved his record to 4-0. He is the first relief pitcher in major-league history to account for four (or more) of his team's first five wins of a season.
The Braves have not gotten a win from a starting pitcher in any of their 11 games this season, the longest such streak to begin any season in the 131-year history of the franchise.
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