"These have not been the best of times for Torii Hunter.

The Angels' leader struggled so mightily early in the season that he called it "seven weeks of hell" personally at one point. His team needed him, and Hunter was unable to provide the lift he desperately wanted to supply.

And even through June and into July as the Angels have roared to life, Hunter was largely a bit player in the revival. He missed time with bruised ribs and a bruised hand, accepted an uncomfortable move to the second spot in the lineup because "I just work here," all while batting .226 with one home run and nine RBI in 30 games before Saturday.

Like a hero in a country song post-game entertainer Dierks Bentley might sing, Hunter emerged from those hard times a hero with two home runs and five RBI to lead the Angels to a 9-3 win over the Seattle Mariners Saturday night.

"I'm almost in heaven. Almost," Hunter joked when reminded of his comment almost two months ago. "It feels better for me personally and for the team.

"Everything is working itself out. ... When all cylinders are clicking, it's a lot of fun."

Hunter has not had a lot of fun this season. Though Angels manager Mike Scioscia has frequently defended Hunter – pointing out how often he has hit a ball hard only to find a defender right in front of it – he could sense Hunter was struggling to align his feeling of responsibility for the team's success with his own diminished production.

"He knows the piece of the puzzle he needs to bring for the success of our ballclub and he takes that very seriously," Scioscia said."