West Ham hauled themselves out of the Barclays Premier League drop zone as Stoke pressed the self-destruct button at Upton Park.
The Hammers made it back-to-back league wins for the first time in more than a year to stay on course to complete the 'great escape' from relegation.
On-loan Cologne striker Demba Ba was gifted his fourth goal in just five appearances after a calamitous Stoke mix-up, the recalled Manuel da Costa made it 2-0 and Thomas Hitzlsperger smashed in a late third to inflict a club record sixth straight away league defeat on the visitors.
