NEW YORK – Pedro Martinez will start Game Two of Major League Baseball's World Series against the New York Yankees, sandwiched between left-handers Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said on Tuesday.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi also named his first three starters as CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte.

Game One of the best-of-seven showdown is on Wednesday.

Neither manager would go past Game Three, as both wanted to leave their options open.

After battling injuries the two previous seasons, three-time Cy Young winner Martinez signed as a free agent in midseason with the Phillies and went 5-1 in nine games.

In the National League Championship Series, he stymied the Los Angeles Dodgers on two hits in seven shutout innings.

"He has been outstanding," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel told reporters. "The bigger the moment, the bigger the stage, I think the more he likes it.

"He has been very good for our club, and he fits real well."

Manuel said he liked putting Martinez, 38, ahead of Hamels, who has struggled this season after a superb 2008 in which he was named MVP of Philadelphia's World Series win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

"I wanted to split my lefties up, and also I felt like Pedro was the ideal guy to go in between them because of what type of pitcher he is -- his command, how he can change speeds, and the fact that he's been here before.

"I think this is going to be a real big moment for him, and I think he's used to it and he's done it before, and I think he's the guy that's more apt to handle it good."

Martinez is familiar with the Yankees and to pitching against them in critical games after his seven seasons with the Boston Red Sox.

He is 11-11 with a 3.20 ERA in 32 career starts against the Yankees, though he has struggled to an 0-2 mark with a 5.93 ERA in his past five post-season appearances against them.

"My best memory pitching here?" he said when asked about his favorite moment against the Yankees in New York.

"Probably the final game after we were 0-3," he said about a rare relief appearance in Game Seven of the 2004 ALCS when Boston became the first team to overcome a 3-0 deficit to reach the World Series.