(Sports Network) - There are certain things in life that most of us routinely take for granted, whether it be everyday necessities such as food, water, electricity and transportation or even items as important as our own health. In the baseball world, sometimes it seems as if the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim fall under that distinction as well.

One would think a team that's well on its way to a fourth American League West championship in five years, a franchise that has won 92 games or more in four of the previous six seasons and captured a world championship in 2002 -- which is one more than the storied New York Yankees have won during that time -- would garner a little more respect from the national media. But turn on your television set or radio, and more often than not the Angels will take a back seat to the usual headliners like the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs and Mets when it comes to publicity.

Maybe it's because the Angels rarely win sexy -- they've always been a team that values speed, situational hitting, pitching and defense over power during the highly successful nine-year tenure of manager Mike Scioscia. Maybe it's because the club's best player, outfielder Vladimir Guerrero, is an intensely private and shy individual who isn't the type to seek out the spotlight.

Or it could be that Anaheim's impressive regular-season accomplishments over the past few years haven't always translated into playoff success. That label has mainly stuck due to an inability to beat the Red Sox in October, with Boston having swept the Angels in the AL Division Series in both 2004 and again last year.

If the 2008 regular season is any indication, that notion could be about to change. The Angels opened their post All-Star break schedule with a three-game sweep of the Red Sox, the team still regarded by many insiders as the standard by which all others are measured, this past weekend. Anaheim has now won five of its six encounters with the defending world champions this year.

Scioscia's troops had to work hard for their payback, as the Angels won the final two games of the set by rallying in the late innings. Anaheim scored four times off Boston ace Josh Beckett in the bottom of the seventh to post a 4-2 victory on Saturday, then followed up with a three-run eighth inning that propelled the Halos to a 5-3 triumph in Sunday's finale.

Both games illustrated one of Anaheim's most evident areas of strength, its formidable depth across the 25-man roster. Saturday's win was keyed by a pinch-hit three-run triple by Erick Aybar, one half of an effective platoon at shortstop along with valuable role player Maicer Izturis. Sunday's decision would not have been possible without 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief from Darren Oliver, the journeyman left-hander who's been an integral part of one of the game's top bullpens over the last two years.

The Angels did have their five-game win streak halted with Monday's home loss to Cleveland, but still own the best record in the majors this season with a 60-39 ledger. Anaheim also currently boasts an 8 1/2-game advantage over second-place Texas in the AL West standings, the largest margin of any division leader at the moment.

And just maybe, people are finally starting to take notice.

FORTY IS FABULOUS

Angels standout closer Francisco Rodriguez became the fastest pitcher to record 40 saves in a single season when the All-Star finished out Sunday's win over the Red Sox. Rodriguez reached the milestone in only 98 team games, which shattered the mark of 108 contests it took Atlanta's John Smoltz to get to 40 in 2003.

Rodriguez got his 40th save in truly dominating fashion, as he struck out Coco Crisp, Sean Casey and Jacoby Ellsbury in succession in the top of the ninth to preserve Anaheim's 5-3 victory.

The hard-throwing right-hander is on pace for 65 saves for the season, a number that would easily surpass the major league record of 57 set by the Chicago White Sox' Bobby Thigpen in 1990. Rodriguez has saved more games this year than the entire victory total of three teams -- San Diego, Seattle and Washington.

"To get to 40 at this time is unbelievable," Rodriguez told the Angels' official site following Sunday's win. "That's a target. Last year I got to 40 saves in the last game of the season."

THREE'S COMPANY

In an effort to jump start an offense that has struggled to consistently put up runs for much of the season's first half, Scioscia turned to unusual measures that have delivered surprisingly productive results. Since July 1, the well-regarded skipper has primarily used either Izturis or Aybar, neither of whom can be classified as the prototypical middle of the order hitter, at the No. 3 spot in the batting order ahead of sluggers Guerrero, Torii Hunter and Garret Anderson.

The Angels had the fewest runs (100) and lowest batting average (.252) in the American League during June, but the club has averaged a healthy 5.6 runs per game and is hitting .278 as a team since the switch. Both shortstops have benefited from the change as well, as Aybar is batting .321 (9-for-28) with a .406 on-base percentage in July and Izturis hit .300 (12-for-40) for the month prior to Monday's game with Cleveland.

Izturis has just 16 home runs in nearly 1,250 career at-bats, while Aybar has gone deep only four times in 453 at-bats at the big league level.

WHO'S HOT

Second baseman Howie Kendrick is batting a scorching .373 (22-for-59) with three homers, 14 RBI and 12 runs scored in 16 July games. The hard-hitting 25- year-old went 3-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 5-2 loss to the Indians to raise his season average to .325.

Over his last 10 appearances, relief pitcher Jose Arredondo has given up no runs and only one hit over a span of 10 2/3 innings. The rookie right-hander, who is limiting enemy hitters to a .145 average this season, picked up the win in Saturday's comeback against the Red Sox after getting the final out of the top of the seventh.

WHO'S NOT

Catcher Jeff Mathis was mired in a 1-for-24 slump prior to coming through with an RBI single in his first at-bat of Monday's loss. The young backstop is hitting just .209 on the season.

Outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. is 5-for-33 (.152) with one RBI and nine strikeouts in 10 July games. The disappointing switch-hitter, who's been slowed by a bout with patellar tendinitis in his left knee, received his first start since July 12 in Monday's contest but went 0-for-4 and fanned twice in his return.

ON DECK

The Angels continue their three-game series against the visiting Indians on Tuesday, with Jered Weaver (8-8, 4.03) set to toe the rubber for Anaheim against Matt Ginter (1-0, 0.00). John Lackey (7-2, 2.58) will try to continue his strong pitching in Wednesday's finale, when the Angels ace opposes Aaron Laffey (5-6, 3.61).

Anaheim will then have an off day before embarking on a 10-game, three-city road trip that begins Friday in Baltimore. All-Star Joe Saunders (12-5, 3.05) is slated to get the starting assignment for the Halos in the opener.

The Angels will also visit Boston (July 28-30) and the New York Yankees (July 31-August 3) during the upcoming trek.