BOSTON (AP) – Remember Pedro Martinez?

He’s the former ace of the Red Sox staff who won three Cy Young awards and called the Yankees his “daddy.” But he’s been overshadowed by the buzz about Curt Schilling’s stitched-up ankle and lights-out pitching.

A year ago, Martinez made his own postseason history – pushing Don Zimmer to the ground when New York’s 72-year-old bench coach charged him in Game 3 and blowing a lead in Game 7 of the AL championship series against the Yankees.

Now he’s just Boston’s second best starter and doesn’t get to pitch until the third game of the World Series against the Cardinals. He’ll make his career World Series debut on Tuesday night in St. Louis and won’t have to be a savior.

That’s because Schilling pitched six exceptional innings Sunday night when the Red Sox won 6-2 and took a 2-0 lead.

Martinez’s postseason numbers this year have been mediocre – a 1-1 record with a 5.40 ERA in four appearances, three of them starts. At least that’s better than his last four regular-season starts in which he went 0-4 with a 7.71 ERA with two losses against the Yankees.

Boston manager Terry Francona isn’t worried.

“I expect Pedro to pitch his fanny off,” he said. “I think he’s got rest. I think he feels good about himself. We’ll have a day off, so we can rest our bullpen a little bit. Anytime we start Pedro, believe me, we’re excited about it.”

Martinez finished the season with a career-worst 3.90 ERA after winning four of the previous six AL ERA titles. He was 16-9, his most losses since he went 13-10 with Montreal in 1996.

Fortunately for the Red Sox, they had Schilling to lead them down the stretch and through the playoffs.

A dislocated tendon in his right ankle ruined his start in Game 1 of the AL championship series, won by the Yankees. But with stitches in the ankle he pitched seven strong innings in Boston’s Game 6 victory then beat St. Louis on Sunday night.

Even Derek Lowe, who had been dropped from the rotation in the ALCS, outdid Martinez by getting the Game 7 start and allowing one run and one hit in six innings on just two days rest. Martinez replaced him and struggled, giving up two runs on three hits in one inning.

But the Red Sox won 10-3, completing the greatest comeback in baseball postseason history by overcoming a 3-0 deficit.

Five years earlier, it was Martinez who relieved a struggling Lowe in the decisive fifth game of the AL division series in Cleveland. Martinez had pulled a muscle in his upper back in the opener but returned to throw six perfect innings in Boston’s 12-8 win that clinched the series.

Now Martinez can put his team one victory away from winning the World Series in what could be his last game with the Red Sox. He can become a free agent after the season.

“We’re excited that he’s on our side,” Boston first baseman Kevin Millar said. “We’re going to need a big start, because they’re tough in their place.”

The Cardinals are 6-0 at home this postseason while the Red Sox were just 43-38 on the road in the regular season.

But even a loss wouldn’t approach some of the lowlights of Martinez’s playoff career.

He was tiring in the eighth inning of last year’s seventh game of the ALCS, but manager Grady Little left him in with a 5-2 lead. Martinez gave up three runs that inning and New York ended Boston’s season when Aaron Boone homered off Tim Wakefield in the 11th.

In Game 3, Martinez pushed Zimmer to the ground during a bench-clearing fight.

The Yankees were the opponents again Sept. 24 when Martinez remained in the game in the eighth with a 4-3 lead and allowed two runs. The Yankees won 6-4.

“I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy,” he said afterward. “I can’t find a way to beat them at this point.”

On Tuesday night he’ll be rested when he pitches on seven days rest between starts and five days rest since his last relief appearance.

Despite his struggles, Martinez was on target back in spring training when he sized up Boston’s rotation and championship chances.

“Anybody can carry the load that I might not on a certain day,” he said then. “I hope … we are the team to beat, but I don’t want to say it. I want to do it.”

AP-ES-10-25-04 1639EDT