Cards get first look at Pedro

BOSTON -- For all his Cy Young Awards, for all his October theatrics, Pedro Martinez has become almost an afterthought for the Boston Red Sox during this year's postseason surge.

The former ace of the staff has been overshadowed by Curt Schilling and the buzz about his stitched-up ankle. But Boston feels pretty good about their chances of taking a 3-0 lead in the World Series when its No. 2 pitcher makes his World Series debut against the St. Louis Cardinals tonight.

"You saw the electric stuff that he can bring in a playoff game. He showed it against the Yankees," first baseman Kevin Millar said Monday before the Red Sox worked out at Busch Stadium.

"He's done everything in his career except win a ring. I think this is what he loves, and he'll do anything he can to help us realize that goal."

Martinez declined comment on Monday, his 33rd birthday, as he typically does the day before he starts. But teammates expect him to be at top form.

"I don't see how he wouldn't be locked in. The pinnacle of anybody's career is to have the opportunity to play in the World Series," catcher Jason Varitek said. "Individual awards go right out the window when you're playing in the World Series."

Martinez has plenty of those, with three Cy Youngs and five ERA titles. But lately he hasn't been able to match his regular season success in the playoffs.

A year ago, Martinez was best remembered for pushing Don Zimmer to the ground when New York's 72-year-old bench coach charged him in Game 3, and then blowing a lead in Game 7 of the AL championship series.

Martinez's postseason numbers this year are 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: He finished 0-4 with a 7.71 ERA with two losses against the Yankees.

Asked Monday if Schilling had raised the bar for Martinez, manager Terry Francona said, "I think Pedro had that bar up high before he was with Schill."

Martinez will be rested tonight. He will have seven days' rest between starts and five days' rest since his relief appearance.

Martinez had a career-worst 3.90 ERA this year after winning four of the previous six AL ERA titles. He was 16-9, his highest loss total 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 Schilling's 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, becoming the first team in baseball postseason history to overcome a 3-0 series 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 hitless innings in Boston's 12-8 win that clinched the series.

Now Martinez can put his team one victory away from winning its first World Series since 1918, in what could be his last game with the Red Sox. He can become a free agent after the season.

The Cardinals were an NL-best 53-28 at home in the regular season and 6-0 this postseason. The Red Sox went 43-38 away from Fenway Park in the regular season and are 4-2 in the playoffs. 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 Game 7 of the ALCS when 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.