Yankees level World Series

Game One: Yankees 2-3 Marlins

Starting pitcher Andy Pettitte was the star as the New York Yankees cruised past the Florida Marlins 6-1 in game two of the World Series.

The Yankees drew level at 1-1 in the series after going down with a lacklustre performance in game one on Saturday.

Hideki Matsui calmed the fans' nerves with a three-RBI homer in the first innings, and Alfonso Soriano took New York into a 6-0 lead with a two-RBI homer in the fourth innings.

Juan Rivera drove in the other New York run with a booming double to left-centre in the second inning.

Pettitte took control once his side were ahead and the Marlins, clearly struggling in the freezing New York temperatures, made no impression.

"He deals with the stress and pressure very well," Yankees manager Joe Torre said of Pettitte.

"He is able to stay focused and get locked in. He was huge for us and he did it on only three days rest."

I got a good pitch to hit and got a good swing on it and it went out Hideki Matsui

Left-hander Pettitte struck out seven, limited the Marlins to six hits, walked just one and came within an out of registering a shutout.

He missed out when an error by third baseman Aaron Boone on a grounder allowed Derrek Lee's run-scoring single.

"For being on three days rest I'm thankful I felt as strong as I did," said Pettitte.

It was a stark contrast to the form of Marlins starter Mark Redman, who allowed a three-run homer to dead centre in the first inning.

With men on first and third bases, and with two outs in the first, Redman threw three balls to hand the initiative to Matsui, who hit the subsequent fastball on a line over the 408-foot sign.

"At 3-0 I got the sign that I can go ahead and swing," said Matsui. "I got a good pitch to hit and got a good swing on it and it went out."

Redman lasted just 2 and 1/3 innings and was hit for four runs on five hits.

"Redman's problem the last couple of games is he stays behind hitters. The hitter has the advantage," said 72-year-old Marlins manager Jack McKeon.

"You got to pitch and stay ahead of the guys. He got hurt."

The series now moves to Miami for games three, four and five, starting on Tuesday.