PHOENIX -- When talking about the Phillies' starting rotation, it¡¯s easy to praise Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola for all of their contributions.

However, Ranger Suárez deserves to be celebrated just as much, especially when he¡¯s putting up Sandy Koufax-like numbers in October.

After delivering 5 1/3 scoreless innings in the Phils' 2-1 loss to the D-backs in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday at Chase Field, the 28-year-old has put himself in rare postseason company.

Su¨¢rez¡¯s 0.94 ERA is the lowest in in postseason history (minimum five starts), just ahead of Koufax (0.95 ERA). That impressive figure does come with a caveat: Koufax pitched 57 postseason innings (all in the World Series), while Su¨¢rez sits at roughly half that total, with 28 2/3 innings.

As calm and collected as Su¨¢rez is, he also remains humble. Even as his dominance in the postseason continues, his focus remains on setting up Philadelphia for success.

¡°I didn¡¯t know that,¡± Su¨¢rez said in Spanish of sitting atop the ERA leaderboard. ¡°I¡¯m really happy about that, but I just want to put the team in a position to win when I¡¯m on the mound. When the team wins, that¡¯s when I feel the best. I don¡¯t pay too much attention to stuff like that.¡±

Su¨¢rez struck out seven and got nine whiffs against the D-backs. He retired nine of the first 11 batters on his way to turning in the longest outing of his playoff career.

Despite Su¨¢rez's success, Phillies manager Rob Thomson pulled the lefty after just 69 pitches (44 strikes) -- a move that was mostly predetermined.

¡°I knew [the] situation of the game,¡± Su¨¢rez said via translator Diego Ettedgui. "I knew that the game mattered a lot, so I knew that I put myself in a situation where, you know, one wrong pitch could change the course of the game. So I understood."

Pitching in front of a sellout crowd of 47,075 at Chase Field could rattle some pitchers, but Su¨¢rez once again showed that his composure is one of his best tools.

Pressure is something Su¨¢rez is familiar with. After being pulled after 3 2/3 innings in Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Braves, he responded by pitching five innings and allowing one run in front of a raucous Philadelphia crowd in the series-clinching victory in Game 4.

¡°I think that the team gives me confidence,¡± Su¨¢rez said in Spanish. ¡°When I¡¯m out there and see the plays we¡¯re making on defense, it¡¯s just tremendous. Everyone on the team does their job, and I truly believe that is what fuels me to remain calm.¡±

Suarez has proven he's comfortable pitching in any capacity. Last October, he recorded key outs as a starter and a reliever -- including closing out the NLCS. As for this season, after representing Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, Suarez was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow strain to begin the regular season and he didn¡¯t pitch until May 13.

Now, if the NLCS goes the distance, he¡¯d be lined up to likely start Game 7 on Tuesday night.

¡°I think it's just his poise on the mound,¡± Thomson said. ¡°Nothing seems to bother him. When he didn't have his best stuff, it was coming off that injury, so he was still kind of building back up.

¡°Once we got toward the end of the season, he had it going on, and he's continued that through the postseason. So I always expect him to give us a good start, expect him to give us length.¡±