Gardner Joins a Select Few in Baseball Record Book

A few years ago, Mark Gardner met Jim Maloney at a sports banquet in Fresno, not knowing he would someday join Maloney in the record book.

On June 14, 1965, Maloney, a Fresno native who still lives there, pitched 10 hitless innings for the Cincinnati Reds against the New York Mets, then lost the game, 1-0, when the Mets’ Johnny Lewis led off the 11th with a home run.

Later that year, on Aug. 19, Maloney, coincidentally, won a 10-inning no-hitter, beating the Chicago Cubs, 1-0.

Gardner, after pitching nine no-hit innings against the Dodgers Friday night, only to lose in the 10th, said he knew what had happened to Maloney in 1965.

He was not aware, however, that in 1959, Harvey Haddix of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitched 12 perfect innings only to lose to the Milwaukee Braves, 2-0, in the 13th.

Gardner, who lives in Fresno during the off-season, said he didn’t expect to hear from Maloney.

“I just met him that one time,” Gardner said. “I don’t think he’d even remember me.”

One thing for sure, there was no forgetting Gardner’s performance Friday night. Even the Dodgers could appreciate that.

“That’s going to be a tough game for him to lose,” the Dodgers’ Brett Butler said.

“He’s going to think about that for a long time. I feel sorry for him, but not that sorry. He had to go out there. There isn’t a pitcher in baseball who wouldn’t have gone out there in the 10th. He wanted it so badly.”

Gardner was born in Los Angeles, but moved to Clovis, just outside Fresno, as a 4 year old. He said he once pitched a seven-inning no-hitter in Babe Ruth ball when he was 15, but hadn’t had one since.

Gardner played at Fresno State in 1984 and 1985. As a rookie with the Expos last season, he had a 7-9 record.

When he and his wife, Lori, go back to Fresno after the season, Gardner might want to look up Maloney.

They could compare notes.