ANAHEIM -- Kelvim Escobar left Toronto after the 2003 season, shunning a two-year contract offer in favor of free agency and a three-year deal with the Angels with the expectation that he would be a starting pitcher.

Escobar showed flashes of dominance both as a starter and as a reliever with Toronto. With the Angels, he battled elbow problems in 2005 and lacked run support in 2006.

Times have changed in 2007. As part of a deep pitching staff, Escobar has been the most consistent starter, throwing three above-average pitches, dominating at times and keeping the Angels in virtually every game he has started.

Escobar became a 15-game winner for the first time in his career Sunday afternoon at Angel Stadium, throwing eight strong innings to lead the Angels to a 3-1 victory over the Blue Jays before 40,565.

The victory allowed the Angels (76-54) to earn a four-game split with Toronto (65-65). The Angels begin a three-game series Monday night against Seattle in a battle of the top two teams in the American League West. The Angels lead the Mariners by 1 1/2 games.

But any idea of a celebration or a must-win series is moot in the Angels clubhouse, where the Angels thrive under Manager Mike Scioscia's no-emotion-needed mentality, and Escobar (15-6) gave the Angels precisely what they needed: eight strong innings and a chance to rest the bullpen.

Escobar, however, did allow for satisfaction. He said he didn't feel right in the first two innings, yet retired the first 12 batters he faced before Vernon Wells poked a broken-bat single through the left side of the infield.

The 30-year-old right-hander scattered six hits, one run and struck out five without a walk. He lowered his ERA to 2.77 and maintained his stuff through 109 pitches.

"I feel good about 15 victories because I think I deserve it the way that I've pitched," Escobar said. "I picked it up in the last three innings and got in a good groove."

Originally signed by the Blue Jays out of Venezuela in 1992, Escobar won a career-high 14 games as a starter in 1999, but also had stints as a closer in 1997 and 2002. He had 38 saves that season, and then won 13 games as a starter in 2003, but never felt like he was given a chance to be a full-time starting pitcher.

The Angels had Escobar in fine form Sunday afternoon.

He allowed the one run in the fifth inning on Troy Glaus' sacrifice fly, then got a popup and a fly out to end the inning. Escobar did not have a perfect inning after the fourth, but retired four of the last five batters he faced before Francisco Rodriguez required only 11 pitches to record his 33rd save.

"That was vintage Escobar," said Garret Anderson, whose home run in the second inning gave Escobar a 1-0 lead. Anderson became the 17th player to have 2,000 hits, 250 home runs, 450 doubles and 1,000 RBIs for one franchise.

Anderson downplayed the achievement.

"All it means is that I've been here for a long time," he said.

The Angels have been in first place for a long time as well, having maintained their lead in the AL West since May 9, a stretch of 110 consecutive days. The victory Sunday allowed the Angels to split the series with the Blue Jays and go to Seattle with a largely rested bullpen.

The Angels will also go north with Anderson, who said that he feels as healthy as he has all season. He has missed 46 games this year in two different stints on the disabled list this season.

Anderson's bat is important because the Angels will enter the Seattle series likely down three starters in Casey Kotchman, Mike Napoli and Chone Figgins, who is the leading hitter in the Major Leagues since June 1st.

"It's good to see Garret drive the ball," Scioscia said. "Our lineup needs to maintain our depth, and Garret is the first guy you're going to look to."

The Angels don't like to get caught up in expectations over one series. They still have seven games remaining with Seattle, including four in Anaheim on Sept. 20-23 to close out their home schedule.

"It's not like this is the last three games of the season," Anderson said. "They score a lot of runs, too, and you can't underestimate them."

John Klima is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.