Anaheim, Calif. ? No great surprise that Los Angeles Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez became the youngest in major-league history to reach 100 career saves.

K-Rod always was a pitching prodigy, even when he was a toddler playing catch with his baseball-crazy uncles in Venezuela.

“They didn’t have anybody to baby-sit, so they used to take me with them to all their games. So that’s when I started, when I was 31â2,” Rodriguez said. “Every day, I’d see them play and I liked it more and more.

“One thing they always did with me, they had me throw the ball far, made me throw it hard trying to reach them. My arm got stronger and stronger.”

Sensational in the 2002 postseason after making his major-league debut as a 20-year-old setup man in mid-September, the right-hander with the herky-jerky delivery and wicked slider went 5-1 in October to help the Angels win their first World Series. In the process, he became the youngest ever to win a World Series game. And he’s still sensational.

In his second season as the Angels’ closer, Rodriguez (2-2) leads the majors with 41 saves and hasn’t given up a run since June 26. That’s a span of 291â3 innings, including a scoreless ninth in Los Angeles’ 4-3, 11-inning victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.

His most recent save, in Sunday’s 4-3 win over Toronto, gave the 24-year-old Rodriguez 100 almost a year earlier than Gregg Olson, who made it to the milestone at age 25 with Baltimore in 1992.

Rodriguez has blown just three save chances this year, posting a 1.71 earned-run average in 60 appearances spanning 631â3 innings, with 80 strikeouts. Last season, his first as a closer after taking over for Troy Percival, he went 2-5, with 45 saves in 50 chances with a 2.67 ERA in 66 games. Rodriguez’s composure was evident as a raw rookie four years ago.

“He thrives on bigger stakes on bigger stages,” pitching coach Bud Black said. “He likes it when the heat’s on. That obviously became evident (in 2002).”

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, “He has the burning desire to compete, and when you match that with the talent level, you get a special player.”

Rodriguez, who grew up in a poor neighborhood in Caracas, matured early.

“One of the reasons I was never scared or afraid or nervous is because I’ve been used to playing with older players since I was 4 years old,” he said. “The kids my age, their parents complained, saying I was throwing the ball too fast for them.”

So he played with 12-year-olds when he was 8, with 14-year-olds when he was 10.

“And I grew up with my uncles, way older than me,” he said. “I grew up with men and they never treated me like a little baby. That’s one of the things that helped me grow up fast.”

Along the way, he developed an unorthodox delivery, a fastball that reaches the mid 90-mph range, and breaking pitches that swerve and dip sharply.