Mike Scioscia kept the Angels going after the death of pitcher Nick Adenhart, and they won their fifth AL West title in six years.

“This award is a true honor and a testament to the perseverance of our players and staff,” Scioscia said in a release. “As a team, we overcame several obstacles to put together a successful season in 2009.”

Scioscia managed the Angels to their third consecutive division title during one of his most difficult seasons in the dugout. Los Angeles has earned six postseason berths in the last eight years under Scioscia, who was a catcher for the Dodgers for 13 seasons and retired in 1994.

The Angels used 14 starting pitchers and played without sluggers Torii Hunter and Vladimir Guerrero for long stretches due to injuries. The team’s biggest challenge was moving past the sorrow they felt when Adenhart was killed in a car accident in April.

Scioscia, who turns 51 on Nov. 27, was credited for giving his players time to grieve while gently insisting on accountability as an early slump lingered. Los Angeles responded by surging to another division title and making it to the AL championship series, eliminating postseason nemesis Boston along the way.

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