58!

"I've been waiting for this moment for more than two weeks. Finally, it came true," said Rodriguez, who found a chilled bottle of champagne waiting for him on his chair in the corner of the Angels clubhouse. Soon to be missing, however, were his game jersey and the ball with which he struck out Ibanez. Both of those are on their way to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Rodriguez's fellow Venezuelan, Juan Rivera, provided most of the Angels' offense, hitting a two-run home run in the second inning, a run-scoring double in the fourth and then hitting a double and scoring on Brandon Wood's single in the sixth.

Rivera hit another double, in the eighth, to match a career best with four hits, and the three runs batted in equaled a season high. But Rivera, who has driven in 16 runs in his last 13 games, strained his right leg running out his final double and left for a pinch-runner. Still, he took some satisfaction out of helping his countryman to the record.

"It was everybody, not just me," said Rivera, who is expected to sit out the next couple of games at least. "But I'm proud that I was able to help him destroy the record . . . and put Venezuela in front."

With the record out of the way, though, the goal now is to put the Angels in front, giving Rodriguez a chance at one more save -- in the final game of the World Series.

"The one to win the World Series, that's going to be the more important one," he said. "The next step is to get the ring."

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kevin.baxter@latimes.com

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Closing at No. 1

The top single-season saves leaders:

*--* Name, Team Year No. Francisco Rodriguez, Angels 2008 58 Bobby Thigpen, Chicago (AL) 1990 57 Eric Gagne, Dodgers 2003 55 John Smoltz, Atlanta 2002 55 Trevor Hoffman, San Diego 1998 53 Randy Myers, Chicago (NL) 1993 53 Mariano Rivera, New York (AL) 2004 53 *--*