For all his Cy Young awards, for all his October theatrics, Pedro Martinez has become almost an afterthought for the Red Sox during their postseason surge.

He’s the former ace of the Boston staff, winner of three Cy Young awards. But he’s been overshadowed by the buzz about Curt Schilling’s stitched-up ankle and clutch pitching.

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

Now he’s Boston’s new no. 2, and he’s set to make his World Series debut against St. Louis tonight in Game 3.

He won’t have to play the savior. That’s because Schilling pitched six stellar innings Sunday when the Red Sox won 6-2 and took a 2-0 series lead.

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, in which he was 0-4 with a 7.71 ERA with two losses against the Yankees.

Still, Boston manager Terry Francona isn’t worried.

“I expect Pedro to pitch his fanny off,” he said. “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 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. 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 in one inning.

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 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 seventh game of the ALCS when manager Grady Little left him in with a 5-2 lead. Martinez gave up three runs that inning and the Yankees ended Boston’s season when Aaron Boone homered off Tim Wakefield in the 11th.

In Game 3, Martinez threw Zimmer to the ground during a full-scale brawl.

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

Tonight, he’ll be pitching on seven days’ rest between starts and five days’ rest since his relief appearance.