updated 8:23 p.m. ET July 19, 2008

ANAHEIM, Calif. - While the scrappy Los Angeles Angels are showing they’ve got what it takes to beat the Boston Red Sox, they say doing so in July means no more than beating anyone else.

Pinch hitter Erick Aybar hit a bases-clearing triple to highlight a four-run seventh, and the Angels rallied for a 4-2 victory over the defending World Series champions Saturday. Los Angeles pinch hitters were just 6-for-38 with five RBIs this season before Aybar’s clutch hit.

The Angels, going for their fourth AL West title in five years, won their fourth straight game including an 11-3 triumph over the Red Sox on Friday night to move a season-high 21 games over .500 and extend their division lead over Oakland to eight games.

The Angels have won a big league-leading 59 games including four of five against the Red Sox, who swept them in the first round of the playoffs on their way to World Series championships in 2004 and again last year. Boston has won nine the last nine postseason games between the teams.

“I don’t see this as a statement series by any means,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

“The only time we hear about that is when you guys (the media) bring it up,” said Torii Hunter, who singled and scored in the decisive seventh inning.

“It’s a series in July,” said reliever Scot Shields, who struck out Jed Lowrie on three pitches with the bases loaded to end the eighth. “I do think we’re a better team now than we were in the past. I’m not saying we’re a better team than they are. (But) we’ve always come to the park thinking we can win.”

The loss was the ninth in 11 road games for the Red Sox, who haven’t lost a season series to the Angels since 2001.

“I don’t think we look at (the past),” Boston’s Kevin Youkilis said. “We’re not worried about the postseason. We’re just worried about playing baseball.”

Josh Beckett (9-6) took a four-hit shutout into the seventh, but Vladimir Guerrero hit the 28-year-old right-hander’s first pitch over the left field fence for his 16th homer.

Hunter and Garret Anderson followed with singles before pinch hitter Reggie Willits sacrificed. Beckett walked Howie Kendrick intentionally for his only walk of the game before Aybar pulled a grounder inside first to clear the bases.

“It was a changeup that got too much of the plate,” Beckett said. “I think it was pretty poor pitch selection, too, on my part. And the execution obviously wasn’t there.”

Beckett struck out Chone Figgins before Coco Crisp kept the Angels from scoring at least one more run by making a leaping catch of Casey Kotchman’s drive as he crashed into the center field fence.

“He’s done it so many times when I’ve been out there,” Beckett said. “I pretty much have a highlight reel of me throwing my arms up in the air when he makes catches like that. He does things with his body that I can only dream of being able to do.”

Crisp would only say: “My back will probably be a little sore tomorrow, but I’ll be OK.”

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