Former Red Sox World Series Shortstop Dead At 45

BOSTON — Former major leaguer Julio Lugo, best known for being the Red Sox starting shortstop on Boston's dominant 20o7 World Series team, has died. He was 45.

Family members told ESPN's Enrique Rojas he is believed to have died from a heart attack. His 46th birthday would have been Tuesday.

"The Red Sox mourn the loss of former shortstop and 2007 World Series Champion Julio Lugo," the team said Monday afternoon. "We send our thoughts and love to the Lugo family."

Lugo broke into the majors in 2000 as a light-hitting but dependable shortstop. He signed a four-year deal with Boston in 2007, playing 147 games for a regular-season juggernaut that won 96 games. He also played all 14 postseason games en route to a World Series title.

Lugo has one of the most fabled Red Sox hits of the century, hustling to first base to bring in the winning runs during the "Mother's Day Miracle" comeback of '07.

The Dominican native hit .251 with 10 home runs and 103 RBIs and stole 48 bases with Boston before being traded in 2009 to St. Louis. He last played in the majors in 2011 with Atlanta.