World Series hero, Tigers great Mickey Lolich dead at 85

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The baseball world is mourning the loss of a player who made history with the Detroit Tigers.

Mickey Lolich, remembered as the Tigers’ hero in the 1968 World Series, has died, the Tigers announced. He was 85. Lolich is the last MLB pitcher to win three games in the league’s championship series, the World Series. He was named World Series MVP that year.

The Tigers said Lolich’s wife informed the franchise that Lolich was recently in hospice care. The cause of death was not released.

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FILE - In this Oct. 3, 1968, file photo, Mickey Lolich of the Detroit Tigers is shown pitching during the second game of the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (AP Photo/File)

Lolich is No. 23 on the all-time career strikeouts list with 2,832 punchouts.

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Lolich was an unlikely star of the Tigers 1968 title run. During a reunion of the World Series team, he recalled how manager Mayo Smith had sent him to the bullpen for much of August. He returned to the Tigers’ starting rotation and was 6-1 in the final weeks.

"I was having a few problems, but I had been a starting pitcher ever since 1964," said Lolich, who was upset about the bullpen move. "I remember telling him, ‘If we win this thing this year it’s going to be because of me.’ But I was only talking about the season. I wasn’t talking about the World Series.

"I got my revenge back in the World Series," he said.

FILE - Mickey Lolich, pitcher of Detroit Tigers poses for a photo, March 1968.  (AP Photo, File)

Lolich pitched Game 7