Sept. 12 -- ABOUT LAST NIGHT

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Ryan Howard, a.k.a. Mr. September, provided the offense. Jamie Moyer provided the inspiration. The bullpen -- specifically Ryan Madson, Chad Durbin and Brad Lidge -- provided the security. And Carlos Ruiz, perhaps unknowingly, provided the energy.

Big win for the Phillies last night? You bet.

Now, they need a few more.

That's the reality of the situation. Beating Ben Sheets, who hadn't allowed a run in 20 consecutive innings, was a nice way for the Phillies to start this four-game series. But the fast-fading Brewers still front the wild-card race by three games, and the red-hot Mets still lead the NL East by three. Those advantages can't be erased unless the Phillies keep winning. So, it's up to Cole Hamels tonight, and I'll have a few words about him shortly.

For now, though, let's look back ...

1. Mr. September: A few weeks ago, Howard was in the midst of a 5-for-50 slump. But, since Aug. 21, he's 26-for-79 (.329) with 10 doubles and 10 homers. And maybe, just maybe, he has played himself into the MVP race by getting the clutch, run-producing, extra-base hits that Chase Utley hasn't been getting. Howard's hot streak should come as no surprise, though. In 114 career games after Aug. 31, Howard is a .314 hitter with 39 homers and 94 RBIs. What do you think? Howard for MVP?

2. Moyer: When runners reach base, Howard says they often ask him, "Man, how does that guy keep doing it?" Howard usually shakes his head. This time, The Old Man took the ball on three days of rest and spun a gem for five innings. And now, impossibly, Moyer has a team-leading 14 wins and at least three more starts. "Somebody had to pitch," he said. "I just felt, why not me? I felt like I was able to throw my name in the hat and let the staff make their choice from that."

3. Ruiz: As he walked to the plate in the eighth inning, Ruiz turned to the dugout and asked, "What's the squeeze sign?" Suddenly, Charlie Manuel had an idea. So, with Shane Victorino on first base, Manuel flashed the squeeze sign. Ruiz dropped a bunt, Victorino charged for home, and the Phillies had an insurance run. According to our friends at the Elias Sports Bureau, it was only the second time in Manuel's four seasons at the helm of the Phillies that the club executed a squeeze play. The other was May 12, 2007, when Ruiz (who else?) dropped a bunt that scored Abraham Nunez from third base against the Cubs.

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Finally, a few words about the biggest nonsense issue of the day: You had to look hard -- I mean, really probe -- to interpret Manuel's postgame comments Wednesday as a rip on the fans. But, sure enough, some folks broke out their high-powered microscopes and were aghast that Manuel may have, in some way, questioned their passion and intensity.

Give me a break.

What Manuel said after the loss to Florida: "We won a game here against the Mets in extra innings [on Aug. 26], and it seemed like everyone in Philly got real high. The next night, we lost and there was a big difference. People got flat. Now, the team didn't, but the whole environment was that way."

Well, duh. If y'all cheered deliriously all the time, even during losses, you'd be like the drones in St. Louis. But Manuel, incredibly, had to clarify his comments, saying that the entire mood around the Bank goes flat when the Phillies don't hit, and the Phillies haven't hit consistently enough to keep the mood on a permanent high, like it was last September when they slugged their way to a 13-4 finish. That's all he meant. And if that's insulting to some people, well, then their skin is thinner than they think.