LOS ANGELES -- When is a no-hitter, not a no-hitter?
Mark Gardner found out when he threw nine innings of no-hit baseball, but gave up back-to-back singles in the 10th Friday night and Darryl Strawberry drove in the winning run off reliever Jeff Fassero to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 1-0 victory over the Montreal Expos.
Gardner gave up a single to Lenny Harris on the first pitch of the 10th inning to lose the no-hitter. Harris bounced over Gardner's head and shortstop Spike Owen did not reach the ball quickly enough for the throwout.
Eddie Murray followed a single to right field to put runners at the corners.
Gardner was lifted, receiving a standing ovation. Fassero came on and Strawberry, who has hit safely in 12 straight games, looped a single to shallow left, scoring Harris with the winning run.
'I just wanted to get a win,' said Gardner, 5-7. 'It wasn't the no-hitter I was thinking about.
'I didn't feel I had good stuff at the start of the game, but everything began working. The team congratulated me after nine innings, but I knew it wasn't over. And it was a let down for me to lose.'
It was the Dodgers' fourth straight win. Montreal has lost six of its last seven.
Harris was not overpowering, but mixed up his pitches well enough to keep the Dodgers off balance. Harris said he wasn't sure what the pitch was that he connected on to break up the no-hitter.
'I just put the bat on the ball and it went through,' Harris said.
Gardner suffered his second loss of the year against the Dodgers. Jay Howell, 4-2, pitched the 10th for the win.
Dodger starter Orel Hershiser, Kevin Gross and Howell combined on a two-hitter, and the Expos did not get a runner to second base until the ninth inning.
Gardner, who came off the disabled list on May 14 following shoulder surgery in November, retired 19 straight between a two-out walk to Murray in the first and Kal Daniels' eighth-inning walk.
He was bidding to become the first Expo to throw a no-hitter since Pascual Perez accomplished the feat with a 1-0 victory over Philadelphia on Sept. 24, 1988.
A double play in the eighth kept the no-hit bid alive. Daniels walked and went to second a sacrifice by Mike Scioscia. Dave Hanson followed with an infield grounder toward third baseman Tim Wallach, who charged and barehanded to first baseman Andres Galarraga for the forceout. Galarraga turned and fired to Owen covering at third, who tagged Daniels to end the inning.
Gardner retired the side in order in the ninth, inducing Alfredo Griffin to pop up to Delino DeShields in shallow center, striking out pinch-hitter Chris Gwynn with a high fastball, and getting Brett Butler to ground out to DeShields.
The Expos signed Gardner, 29, as a free agent in 1985. He appeared briefly with Montreal in 1989 and complied an 0-3 record. Last season he joined the starting rotation, going 7-9 with a 3.42 ERA.
Hershiser worked the first six innings, allowing one hit, striking out one and walking one.
Hershiser threw 73 pitches before being replaced by Gross. Hershiser gave up a one-out single to Wallach in the second, but Galarraga hit into a double play to end the inning. After issuing a walk to Ivan Calderon, he then retired seven men in a row. He was lifted for a pinch- hitter in the sixth inning.
The Expos threatened in the ninth. Owen walked but was out when Gardner grounded into a fielder's choice. After DeShields struck out, Grissom singled but Calderon flyed out to right field.
Dodger starter Orel Hershiser, Kevin Gross and Howell combined on a two-hitter, and the Expos did not get a runner to second base until the ninth inning.
Gardner, who came off the disabled list on May 14 following shoulder surgery in November, retired 19 straight between a two-out walk to Murray in the first and Kal Daniels' eighth-inning walk.
He was bidding to become the first Expo to throw a no-hitter since Pascual Perez accomplished the feat with a 1-0 victory over Philadelphia on Sept. 24, 1988.
A double play in the eighth kept the no-hit bid alive. Daniels walked and went to second a sacrifice by Mike Scioscia. Dave Hanson followed with an infield grounder toward third baseman Tim Wallach, who charged and barehanded to first baseman Andres Galarraga for the forceout. Galarraga turned and fired to Owen covering at third, who tagged Daniels to end the inning.
Gardner retired the side in order in the ninth, inducing Alfredo Griffin to pop up to Delino DeShields in shallow center, striking out pinch-hitter Chris Gwynn with a high fastball, and getting Brett Butler to ground out to DeShields.
The Expos signed Gardner, 29, as a free agent in 1985. He appeared briefly with Montreal in 1989 and complied an 0-3 record. Last season he joined the starting rotation, going 7-9 with a 3.42 ERA.
Hershiser worked the first six innings, allowing one hit, striking out one and walking one.
Hershiser threw 73 pitches before being replaced by Gross. Hershiser gave up a one-out single to Wallach in the second, but Galarraga hit into a double play to end the inning. After issuing a walk to Ivan Calderon, he then retired seven men in a row. He was lifted for a pinch- hitter in the sixth inning.
The Expos threatened in the ninth. Owen walked but was out when Gardner grounded into a fielder's choice. After DeShields struck out, Grissom singled but Calderon flyed out to right field.
