Let's be direct here: This shouldn't happen at the major league level. One team should not go 18-1 against another. It feels almost impossible in a sport where the spread between the best winning percentages and worst winning percentages is not as large as in the NBA or the NFL. Bad teams beat good teams all the time. It's the nature of baseball.

But it happened. The Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 7-0 on Thursday, finishing the season series with an 18-1 record against Detroit. That had never happened before. Since the majors split into divisions in 1969, no team had defeated an opponent 18 times. Since the format of 19 games against division opponents began in 2001, the best record had been 17-2 (including the Yankees against the Orioles this season).

Of course, the Tigers aren't exactly the 1998 Yankees:

The 1998 Yankees, perhaps the best team ever, had a run differential of +309.
The 2019 Tigers have a run differential of -306.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) September 20, 2019

Still, how does a team go 18-1? Let's find out with a quick game-by-game recap!

April 9 at Detroit: Indians 8, Tigers 2

It seems so long ago when Leonys Martin and Brad Miller were on the Indians. It's OK if you don't recall those halcyon days of April and May. Indians fans probably don't remember them either. They hit two of the club's four home runs.

April 10 at Detroit: Tigers 4, Indians 1

This was it. The victory. Matthew Boyd allowed one run in six inning, Niko Goodrum and John Hicks homered off Trevor Bauer, the Tigers made no errors and the Tigers were 8-4 and in first place, half a game ahead of the Indians.

April 11 at Detroit: Indians 4, Tigers 0

Shane Bieber won his first game of the season, tossing seven shutout frames and allowing three hits. Martin doubled and homered - on his way to a .199 average for Cleveland.

June 14 at Detroit: Indians 13, Tigers 4

The Tigers allowed 17 hits, walked five batters, allowed six unearned runs and struck out 10 times. Not a good night at the ballyard.

June 15 at Detroit: Indians 4, Tigers 2

Too much Bieber again. He fanned 12 in 7.2 innings.

June 16 at Detroit: Indians 8, Tigers 0

Bauer throws the four-hit shutout. Tigers pitchers surrender 14 hits and six walks. Are you getting the idea Detroit's offense may be on the weak side?

June 21 at Cleveland: Indians 7, Tigers 6

Game tied in the bottom of the eighth, Jose Ramirez singled on a dribbler down the line to start the winning rally. Jason Kipnis hit what the umpires ruled was a home run, but replay overturned the call and Kipnis instead had a triple. He scored anyway on a sac fly. In the top of the ninth, JaCoby Jones doubled to lead off and Christin Stewart singled him home. Then this happened:

Tigers lose 7-6.

June 22 at Cleveland: Indians 2, Tigers 0

If you're going to make your major league debut, the 2019 Tigers were a pretty good team to make it against. Aaron Civale allows two hits in six scoreless innings.

June 23 at Cleveland: Indians 8, Tigers 3

The Indians tag Daniel Norris for six hits and five runs in the second inning and Zach Plesac allows one run in seven innings

July 15 at Cleveland: Indians 8, Tigers 6

The Tigers hit four home runs! But the Indians bang out 14 hits - including two home runs by Oscar Mercado, the second one breaking a 5-5 tie after a rain delay:

July 16 at Cleveland: Indians 8, Tigers 0

If you're counting, this is four shutouts in 11 games. Four pitchers combined for the one-hitter.

July 17 at Cleveland: Indians 7, Tigers 2

Mike Clevinger fans 12 in six innings as the Indians staff combines for 17.

July 18 at Cleveland: Indians 6, Tigers 3

This would turn out to be Bauer's final home game in an Indians uniform. He fans 10 and Brad Hand strikes out as the Indians get 14 K's - that's 31 over two games. If you're counting.

August 27 at Detroit: Indians 10, Tigers 1

Adam Plutko and three relievers allow three hits and record 15 strikeouts. The Tigers allow 13 hits, five walks, six unearned run, throw a wild pitch, hit a batter and give up three home runs.

August 28 at Detroit: Indians 4, Tigers 2

It's tied 2-2 in the top of the eight when Francisco Lindor hits one just far enough:

August 29 at Detroit: Indians 2, Tigers 0

Yep, another shutout. Clevinger goes eight innings, Hand closes out the four-hitter.

September 17 at Cleveland: Indians 7, Tigers 2

The Indians rip out eight extra-base hits. The Tigers do not.

September 18 at Cleveland: Indians 2, Tigers 1 (10 innings)

Civale goes 7.2 innings, but the game goes extra innings. How does the winning run score? Roberto Perez led off the innings reaching on an error. After a bunt, an intentional walk, a groundout and another intentional walk - that's two more intentional walks than the Astros have issued all season, by the way - Yasiel Puig just misses a walk-off grand slam:

September 19 at Cleveland: Indians 7, Tigers 0

That's 17 straight wins over the Tigers and six shutouts for Cleveland in the season series. Not only did the Indians outscore the Tigers in 18 of 19 games, the Tigers had more hits than the Indians in just one game (they one won). The season stats against each other:

Indians batting: .302/.367/.524, 29 home runs, 6.11 runs per game

Tigers batting: .200/.239/.331, 16 home runs, 2.0 runs per game

The Indians ended up outscoring the Tigers 116 to 38, a plus-78 run differential (4.11 per game). Where does this season destruction rank on the all-time list? Some others that I found (not comprehensive):

Division era shutouts (10 or more wins)

1993 Braves vs. Rockies: 13-0, +56 runs (4.31 per game)

1996 Indians vs. Tigers: 12-0, +51 runs (4.25 per game)

1998 Yankees vs. Royals: 10-0, +56 runs (5.6 per game)

Division era domination

2019 Yankees vs. Orioles: 17-2, +68 (3.58 per game

2006 A's vs. Mariners: 17-2, +60 runs (3.16 per game)

1986 Mets vs. Pirates: 17-1, +55 runs (3.06 per game)

1975 Reds vs. Cubs: 11-1, +48 runs (4.0 per game)

1974 Braves vs. Padres: 17-1, +62 runs (3.44 per game)

1974 Dodgers vs. Padres: 16-2, +82 runs (4.56 per game)

Dominant teams of the past

1954 Indians vs Red Sox: 20-2, +58 (2.64 per game)

1953 Dodgers vs. Pirates: 20-2, +63 runs (2.86 per game)

1939 Yankees vs. Browns: 19-3, +85 runs (3.86 per game) 1927 Yankees vs. Browns: 21-1, +85 runs (3.86 per game)

Fun note: The Dodgers went 16-2 against the Mets in 1962 and 1963.

As you can see, Cleveland's dominance over Detroit is one of the most impressive we've seen. But get this: the Astros may match that 18-1 record. Houston is 16-1 against Seattle with two games remaining. Their run differential per game, however, is a mere 3.24.