You want to win in the postseason? Here's a great recipe for success:

Send the major league's best run producer to the plate during a hot streak and ride a reigning Cy Young Award winner as many times as you can.

Ryan Howard moved on step closer to making major league history while Cliff Lee kept up his best impression of Cole Hamels Version.08 as the Phils rolled to a 11-0 win in Sunday's Game 3 of the NLCS.

The win set a new Phils' record for margin of victory in a playoff game (besting last year's 10-2 win in Game 4 of the World Series).

The Phils out-hit the Dodgers 11-3. Ryan Howard got the offensive barrage started with a two-run triple in the first inning.

The two RBIs gave Howard 12 RBIs in seven games this postseason. He's also hitting a cool .385.

But here's the more impressive stat: with RBIs in seven straight playoff games, Howard has set a record for most consecutive games with an RBI in a single postseason; he's one RBI away from tying Lou Gehrig (Lou Freaking Gehrig!) for most consecutive playoff games with an RBI (eight).

Jayson Werth also hit a titanic home run and Carlos Ruiz (two hit) kept his Senor Octubre nickname hot.

What else do we have? How about playoff rookie Cliff Lee's ERA: 0.74.

Lee allowed three hits in eight shutout innings and tied a Phillies record with 10 strikeouts (Curt Schilling and Steve Carlton are the only other Phils pitchers to strike out 10 in a playoff game).


Here's some noise from the interview room and clubhouse:


Ryan Howard, who belly-flopped his way into third on a two-run triple that got the Phils started in the first inning: "(It was) full-out panic going around second base. No, I mean, it was a lot of fun. I saw where the ball was. I saw where (Andre) Ethier was. It was one of those things where I had to make my mind up if this is going to happen or not. So once I hit second, it was pretty much going full bore."




Cliff Lee, on being unbeaten with a minuscule ERA in his first postseason: "I don't think I ever doubted myself. I always had confidence in myself and felt like I could pitch in a big game. But you never know until you get the opportunity. It's a challenge. It's what you play all year for is a chance to get to the postseason, and once you get there, you've got to step up and try to -- for me I've just got to try to give the team a chance to win. It's really that simple.



"When you've got the offense that we've got, I don't want to go out there and walk guys and have long innings and stuff like that. I've got to go out there and attack hitters and throw strikes and give our offense a chance to score runs.
Tonight we did that pretty early and made things a lot easier for me."



Charlie Manuel, on Ryan Howard's torrid stretch: "Ryan is swinging the bat very good right now. He's staying on the ball real good. It's good to see. He couldn't pick a better time to hit good. It's outstanding. Keep it up."




Jayson Werth, on the defending champs' winning approach: "We have a great clubhouse, a great atmosphere, and it's conducive to winning. We come to play hard everyday. We're in good spirits around here. We've got a good vibe and a real positive outlook on the game. It speaks volumes for the way we play on the field.

"Really, it's how we are all of the time. We're very in the moment and very focused. We're just a good ballteam that comes to play hard everyday, bring everything to the table and leave everything on the field."



Joe Torre, on the Dodgers being a part of the most lopsided defeat the Phils handed a team in their playoff history: "You never want to get your rear end kicked, there's no doubt about it. But these games, you don't toss and turn wondering, if I had made this move or that move. This is one you can put away a lot quicker even though it's a lot uglier than most. But... it's only one game, and we're still in a position to tie the series tomorrow, and that's what we need to do basically."