Third straight divison title heavenly in many ways

September 28, 9:27 PMLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim ExaminerWilliam Martinez

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AP/Chris Carlson

Given a chance to clinch against their closest competitors, the Angels wasted no time on Monday, battering Tommy Hunter and the Rangers all over Angel Stadium.

For the Halos, this AL West title is significant in many ways. For openers, it is the first time in franchise history that the club has won three straight AL West titles, bettering the two straight won in 2004 and 2005 and again in 2007 and 2008.

It is also the third time in eight division championships that the Rangers have wound up having to watch the Angels celebrate a championship at home, with the Halos also clinching against Texas in 1982 and 1986.

Angels fans have been the most spoiled of all when it comes to celebrations, as the Angels have doused themselves in champagne in front of the home fans on all but two occasions, when the then Anaheim Angels clinched the wild card in 2002 and the divison on the second to last day in 2004, both times in Oakland Coliseum.

Next up for the Halos is Round 5 with the team that has proven to be their worst nightmare over the years, the Boston Red Sox.

In four previous postseason series, the Red Sox own a 13-4 advantage, winning 12 of the last 13 meetings between the clubs dating to the fateful Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS. The lone win for the Halos in that stretch came last season in Game 3 at Fenway Park.

Still, what started out as a nightmare season instead ended up with the Angels overcoming all the injuries and tragedy to make the prognosticators look good again.

Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter both missed big chunks of time, the pitching was arguably the worst it has been in any postseason year during the decade, and the team suddenly found itself vulnerable within the division, going a paltry 24-26 against the West heading into Monday's game.

The difference for the Angels was in interleague play, where the team dominated the NL West in a big way, going a majors-best 14-4 against the Senior Circuit.