WASHINGTON >> The judge in the Roger Clemens perjury trial has ruled that key prosecution witness Brian McNamee can identify two players who confirmed under oath the strength trainer’s claim that he injected them with human growth hormone.

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said Monday that McNamee can testify that he injected current Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte and former Yankee infielder Chuck Knoblauch. The judge made the ruling so that prosecutors can rebut the suggestion made by Clemens’ lawyer during cross-examination that McNamee targeted Clemens in his accusations that the former pitcher used HGH and steroids.

McNamee, Clemens’ longtime strength and conditioning coach, told authorities that he injected Pettitte and Knoblauch with HGH, and both players told congressional investigators in 2008 that information was correct. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, denied McNamee’s accusations to Congress that year, and he’s on trial for allegedly lying to Congress in making those denials.

Prosecutors, who hope the information about Pettitte and Knoblauch will help rehabilitate McNamee’s credibility, will resume their redirect questioning of McNamee on Monday.

The trial is now in its sixth week.