October 10, 1968 at Busch Stadium
Tigers 4, Cardinals 1
Tigers Win Best of Seven Game Series 4-3
The Tigers and Mickey Lolich saved the best for last as the Tigers completed a historic comeback to secure their first World Series win since 1945. In a first time battle between both team’s best postseason pitchers, it was Mickey Lolich who came out on top with a fantastic outing that saw him surrender just one run on five hits to go a perfect 3-0 in three complete game wins for the Tigers.
Through six innings, this was a total nail biter. The Tigers managed just a single hit off of Bob Gibson while the Cardinals picked up just four. The biggest threat came in the bottom of the sixth inning but Lolich picked both Lou Brock and Curt Flood off of first base to negate any damage. Both times Lolich was able to get the ball over to first base on stolen base attempts.
The Tigers finally shined in the seventh inning. Mickey Stanley struck out and Al Kaline grounded out to lead things off but with two outs, the Tigers got it going. Norm Cash and Willie Horton belted back to back singles and then Jim Northrup belted a triple to drive them both in. Bill Freehan followed that up with a double to make it 3-0 and just like that, the Tigers were three innings away from taking the series.
The Cardinals got nothing in the seventh and eighth and then in the top of the ninth, the Tigers got an insurance run. Willie Horton singled with one out before Dick Tracewski came in to run for him. Tracewski moved to third on Jim Northrup’s single and then Don Wert singled him home to make it 4-0.
The Cardinals finally got on the board in their last frame. With two outs, Mike Shannon belted a solo homer but the optimism was short lived because Tim McCarver followed that up with a pop out to Norm Cash to end the game.
Lolich was nothing short of fantastic and in the process, he secured World Series MVP honors. In his third consecutive complete game, he gave up just one run on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts and he finished the series a perfect 3-0.