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Jeff Mathis' career-best four hits drove in a career-high six runs, including a fifth inning grand slam; Howie Kendrick tied a club record with three doubles and his four hits and three RBI matched career bests; and Casey Kotchman had the first five-hit game that he could ever remember.

It all added up to a 14-11 win over Cleveland.

"Howie will be there, I can promise you that. That dude can hit," said John Lackey, who won despite allowing six runs and eight hits in five innings. "Kotch has been clutch for us all year, driving in key runs. And Mathis, he's getting his feet wet and swinging the bat well."

Questions linger about whether the Angels will upgrade their offense in the final week before the trading deadline, but a game like Wednesday's - or a month like July when the Angels are averaging six runs per game - could go a long way in determining things.

"You have to understand the potential of our offense," said Manager Mike Scioscia, whose team scored their most runs and banged out their most hits, 19, all season. "It's much closer to the productive offense we've seen in the last 20 games than the one that struggled before that."

Chone Figgins, who went 0 for 6 Wednesday, has finished his cycle of antibiotics for the staph infection in his left knee that sidelined him for two games in late June. Since returning, Figgins is hitting just .192 (14 for 73) and has seen his on-base percentage fall from .408 on June 25 to its current .368.

"The medication was so strong, it would make you feel sluggish," Figgins said. "Besides everything that happened, I feel fine."

Jeff Mathis just hit a grand slam in the fifth inning to give the Angels a 10-6 lead.

It was Mathis' first career grand slam and his third hit of the game. The three hits equals a career best, the second time he's done that this season and the four RBI he has is a career high.

It is the third grand slam by the Angels this season. Torii Hunter and Mike Napoli also have hit grand slams, Hunter's coming against the same Cleveland club.

The Indians have allowed 10 grand slams this season, the most ever by the team, dating back to when they kept such statistics in 1951.

Howie Kendrick has three doubles in three at-bats so far today, hitting one to each outfield spot.

Kendrick already has scored twice, knocked in a run and tied the club record for doubles in a game.

But, he is still the third Angel with three doubles in a game this season, joining Erick Aybar and Torii Hunter in doing so.

Facing left-hander Aaron Laffey, here is today's Angels' lineup:

Figgins - 3B
Kotchman - 1B
Aybar - SS
Guerrero - DH
Rivera - RF
Kendrick - 2B
Anderson - LF
Matthews - CF
Mathis - C

Lackey - P

Jason Bulger was brought up from Class AAA to aid the bullpen after the Angels used four relievers in last night's 3-2 victory.

Infielder Sean Rodriguez was optioned back to Salt Lake.

It's unlikely Bulger will be with the team much longer. He is taking Torii Hunter's spot on the roster, the center fielder on the bereavement list to be with his ailing grandmother in Pine Bluff, Ark.

Hunter is expected to re-join the team on Friday in Baltimore.

In this afternoon's game, the finale of a short, six-game homestand, John Lackey is looking to give the Angels five wins and another series victory, which would make them 12-0-2 in their past 14 series against AL opponents.

Lackey is 7-2 with a complete game and a 2.58 ERA in 12 starts. He is 3-5 with a 2.85 ERA lifetime against Cleveland.

In this afternoon's game, the finale of a short, six-game homestand, John Lackey is looking to give the Angels five wins and another series victory, which would make them 12-0-2 in their past 14 series against AL opponents.

Lackey is 7-2 with a complete game and a 2.58 ERA in 12 starts. He is 3-5 with a 2.85 ERA lifetime against Cleveland.

Entering in the fourth inning for Jered Weaver, forced to leave due to a knot in his right scapula, Darren Oliver and three other relievers allowed just four hits while striking out six batters in the final six innings of a 3-2 victory over Cleveland.

"It's a tough job," said Scot Shields of being a middle reliever, a position he once held. "You're caught off guard a little bit, but that's pretty outstanding."

Oliver allowed just one hit in 2 2/3 innings before Jose Arredondo pitched 1 1/3 scoreless and Shields and Francisco Rodriguez each struck out a pair in their scoreless frames. Rodriguez got pinch-hitter Ryan Garko swinging on a change-up to end the game with a man on second, notching his 41st save.

Though, technically, the save could be added to Oliver's line.

"He gave us a big lift tonight," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "That was important at the time."

Weaver, pitching for the first time in 13 days, said he first felt tightness behind his shoulder blade in the first inning. He needed 77 pitches to get through his three innings, getting a visit from Scioscia and trainer Adam Nevala during Casey Blake's at-bat in the third.

"I think that probably had something to do with my two weeks off," said Weaver, who last started on July 9, but threw two bullpen sessions in between. "The weeks off felt great and I thought the rest would help me out. But I got a big, ol' knot and it caused me not to finish my pitches."

Jered Weaver, it was just announced, left Tuesday's game with tightness in his mid back.

Weaver was making his first start in 13 days, but had thrown three bullpen sessions in the meantime, so it's not like he wasn't accustomed to the time off.

With Thursday's off day, the rotation shouldn't take a hit or need re-shuffling as Weaver was listed as day to day.

The Angels pulled Jered Weaver out of the game after three innings and 77 pitches.

During the third inning Manager Mike Scioscia and trainer Adam Nevala went out to visit Weaver on the mound and he stayed in the game, but was gone by the start of the fourth.

Stay tuned for the reason.

Making his first start in nine days Tuesday, Gary Matthews Jr. said the small tear in his left patellar tendon "felt a little better after the rest," but the time off, Matthews said, affected his timing. Matthews dropped a fly ball in right field and struck out twice.

Not a good way to prove everything is fine and you deserve more playing time.

"Obviously I want to play everyday," he said. "It's not going to feel great but, let's be honest, my performance will determine how much I'll play. If I play well, I'll get at-bats. Hopefully my knee will allow me to do that."

Matthews is expected to start in center field today against Cleveland lefty Aaron Laffey.

"I'd rather play everyday, that's what I want my role to be," Matthews said. "I think that's possible. I'd like to find out."

Facing righty Matt Ginter:

Figgins - 3B
Kotchman - 1B
Izturis - SS
Guerrero - RF
Anderson - DH
Kendrick - 2B
Rivera - LF
Mathis - C
Willits - CF

Weaver - P

There was a story that hit the Internet today saying that all the Angels had to do to obtain Mark Teixeira from the Braves was to trade Robb Quinlan and Brandon Wood.

Last year the Angels were in discussions with Texas regarding Teixeira and offered far more than that. When told the latest rumor, general manager Tony Reagins laughed for a short while.

"Wow," he finally said. "Those bloggers, man."

Could a team with the best record in baseball, a team that's 21 games above .500 against teams with winning records, fall below .500 against opponents with losing records?

The answer will come tonight -- and maybe tomorrow.

That's because the 39-18 Angels (against winning teams) will put their 21-21 mark against losers on the line against the 44-54 Indians.

Jered Weaver (8-8, 4.03 ERA) gets the first shot tonight to keep the Angels above water against RHP Matt Ginter (1-0, 0.00) in a 7:05 game (FSNW-HD).

The Angels close out the homestand Wednesday with John Lackey (7-2, 2.58 ERA) facing Aaron Lafley (5-6, 3.61).

Forget that five-game Angels' win streak.

The guys from Anaheim with the best record in MLB (60-39) were back playing a team with a losing record Monday and fell back to .500 (21-21) against ball clubs under .500 after getting bashed 5-2 by the longball-hitting Tribe, the AL Central's fifth-place team.

Ervin Santana dropped to 11-4 when the All-Star Angel got behind on a couple of hitters and grooved two pitches over the plate and saw them disappear over the fence despite striking out eight and walking none.

Angels hitters had little luck, especially with men on base, and got almost nothing done against former teammate Paul Byrd, who improved his record to 4-10 as he flipped the ball inside and out, moved it up and down, "invented pitches,'' Torii Hunter said, "and pitched backwards'' said Angels Manager Mike Scioscia.

No matter for the Angels. They still own the longest division lead in MLB. And after two more games against the Indians, they're on the road against winning teams like the Red Sox and yankees and an Orioles team that could be over .500 by then.

Facing former Angel Paul Byrd (3-10, 5.47 ERA), the Angels have gone to a lineup that will feature five batters swinging from the left-hand side tonight including switch-hitters Chone Figgins, Maicer Izturis and Gary Matthews Jr.

They join lefties Casey Kotchman and Garret Anderson.

Here's the entire Angels' lineup:

1) Figgins, 3B (.278); 2) Kotchman, 1B (.283); 3) Izturis, SS (.271); 4) Vladimir Guerrero, DH (.287): 5) Torii Hunter, CF (.273); 6) Anderson, LF (.269); 7) Howie Kendrick, 2B (.316); 8) Matthews Jr., RF (.235); 9) Mathis, C (.206).

Pitching for the Angels will be right-hander Ervin Santana (11-3, 3.34 ERA), in his first start since pitching in the All-Star game Tuesday. Game time is 7:05 on FSNW (HD).

They would spot him, when his knee felt good, said Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, of outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., who agreed.

Despite a slight tear in his left patellar tendon, there would be days when the knee felt good and he could get an occasional spot start has been the rationale for the rest of the season.

Well, that time is the opener of the Cleveland series tonight. Matthews, hitting just .235, will start in right field and bat eighth.

"He's feeling good,'' Scioscia said. "I think the break has done him well.''

And if the Angels are going to spot-start Matthews, "He's got to get out there and play,'' Scioscia said. "We can't evaluate him until he does.''

With the sweep of Boston behind them, the Angels are three wins ahead of a Red Sox team that started the weekend tied with them at 57 wins.

Not that that should be much surprise. Against teams above .500, the Angels are now 39-18. But the danger comes the next three days against a Cleveland Indians team struggling to keep its head above water.

Against teams with records below .500, the Angels are barely above water themselves at 21-20.

Don't ask Manager Mike Scioscia for an explanation. He has none.

But his team with the best record in baseball (60-38) gets a chance to right things a bit starting tonight with a three-game home series against Cleveland.

An ex-Angel, Paul Byrd (3-10, 5.47 ERA) will be on the mound for the Indians against All-Star Ervin Santana (11-3, 3.34) in his first start afyer the break. Game time is 7:05 on FSNW (HD).

The formula seems awfully simple for the Angels these days.

Score first. Get a timely hit -- or three, and a quality start, in this case, from Jon Garland.

Then turn the game over to Frankie Rodriguez, who obliged by striking out the Red Sox side in the ninth.

All that the Angels (60-38) did again Sunday in coming from ahead, and behind, to finish off a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox with a 5-3 win.

Eighth-inning doubles from Juan Rivera, Howie Kendrick and Casey Kotchman book-ended second-inning home runs from Vlad Guerrero and Torii Hunter to guarantee the Angels, who have won five of six against the Sox this season, their first season series win against Boston since 2001.

It was also the Angels first three-game sweep in Anaheim of the Red Sox since April of 1998.