How Jim Maloney Almost Had 4 No-No's in 1965, Part 3: Going Extras And Going Wild!

Maloney took the hill on August 19, 1965 in Wrigley Field in Chicago. The first game of a doubleheader. 

Do I bother mentioning it was a day game? Oh, and a fast one. Around 2 hours and 51 minutes. Enough time to get to the second game! But the opener, it was a classic!

Anyways, it was Maloney (13-6) VS Larry Jackson (11-14). Jackson was actually one hell of a pitcher, winning 194 games over his career and posting 4 shutouts of his own in 1965.

Jackson retied Larry Harper and Pete Rose on grounders to start the game, and after Vada Pinson singled, Jackson picked him off first. Pretty good start by Jackson.

But Maloney was more than equal to the task, as he fanned the first two batters, Don Landrum and Doug Clemens. Billy Williams put the ball in play as he popped out to Rose at second.

Frank Robinson connected for the second hit of the game by the Reds. So the leadoff man was aboard to start the second. But Gordy Coleman grounded into a double play and Deron Johnson grounded out. Just like that, a promising inning was over.

In the bottom of the frame, the Cubs again failed to get the ball out of the infield as Ernie Banks grounded out to shortstop Leo Cardenas, Ron Santo popped out to Rose, and Ed Bailey, the Cubs catcher, because Maloney’s third strikeout victim of the afternoon.

Cardenas and Johnny Edwards, the Red catcher, made quick outs to start the top of the third, but Maloney prolonged it by hitting a single to right. But Harper would force Jim at second to end the inning.

Then came one agonizing inning for Maloney.

He started off the bottom of the third by walking Glenn Beckert and Don Clemens, then settled down (or appeared to) by fanning Jackson and getting Landrum to force Kessinger at second.

But Clemens walked.

The bases were filled.

And Billy Williams, the Hall Of Famer (one of three Hall Of Famers in this game. Oh, plus Pete Rose, right?) was up.

Nowhere to put someone who went downtown 426 times.

But Maloney got him to ground out to Rose.

Rose blooped at single to start the 4^th and Pinson sacrificed him to second. Robinson grounded out to Kessinger at short, Rose holding. Coleman ended the Reds’ chance by grounding out to Johnson at third.

Banks and Santo were retired on a pop out and ground out to start bottom of the inning.

But the B’s (Bailey and Beckert) drew Maloney’s 4^th and 5^th walk of the game. Two on, two out.

But Maloney fanned Kessinger.

So after 4 innings Maloney had 5 strikeouts, and five walks.

And no hits against. Is this blogger going to jinx him?

Jackson then came out smoking in the 5^th as he fanned both Johnson and Edwards. Cardenas grounded out to end the inning. Those were Jackson’s first two K’s of the game.

But it Maloney that had the real smoke in the 5^th.

Jackson fanned.

Landrum fanned.

Clemens fanned.

5 innings, 8 K’s for Maloney.

Oh, and still no hits, but 5 BB’s.

Now where was I? Oh, the top of the 6^th.

Maloney fanned.

Harper fanned.

Rose grounded out.

Now, I know what you are thinking: that was just like the top of the 5^th. Actually, it wan't. You see, I have found a big difference. Cardenas grounder went to his counterpart at short, Kessinger. Rose’s grounder went to Ernie Banks at first, who fielded it and tossed it to Jackson covering first.

See, big difference there!

Bottom of the 6^th.

Maloney got Billy Williams to pop out to Rose, Banks to ground out to Johnson and Santo to K. Maloney was up to 9 strikeouts in only 6 innings.

The Reds almost won the game in the top of the 7^th as Robinson tripled to left, but the next two batters, Coleman and Johnson, failed to get the ball out of the infield. Robinson held on Coleman’s grounder to Banks, who made the play unassisted this time.

Bailey and Beckert grounded out to start the bottom of the frame. Maloney then reached double figures in K’s when he fanned Kessinger.

And he still had the no-no going!

After Edwards and Cardenas were retired on infield outs to start the top of the 8^th, Maloney got his second hit (and the Reds’ 6^th overall) of the game. Harper then became Jackson’s 5^th K victim.

In the bottom half, Jackson helped out his own cause by drawing the 6^th walk of Maloney.

The Reds moved the infield in, expecting a SH.

And Landrum laid down a beaut, as Maloney fielded it and tossed to Rose covering first.

Clemens flied out to center, which brought up Williams.

The Reds decided to walk him intentionally.

And the strategy worked as Maloney got his 11^th K as he rung up Banks.

Ron Santo made an error on Rose’s ground ball to start the 9^th frame. And when Pinson reached first on a bunt to third, there was two on and nobody out.

Jackson retired Robinson on a fly to left, both runners not advancing. Gordy Coleman flied out to Billy Williams in right, with Rose taking third. Johnson ended the threat by grounding out to Santo.

Bottom of the ninth!

Santo then was struck by a Maloney pitch. Bailey coaxed Jim’s 8^th walk of the game. The winning run was on second base.

But Maloney reached a dozen K’s as he fanned Beckert.

Jimmy Stewart, pinch hitting for Kessinger, flied out to Pinson in center.

But Jackson kept the inning going as he walked.

For the second time this day, Maloney had walked the bases loaded. And Jim Maloney was now up to 9 walks.

He still had the no-hitter, but now he must retire Landrum, or it’s all over.

Landrum popped up to Cardenas, and the inning was over. It was time for extra innings.

Under the old baseball record book, Maloney now had a no-hitter no matter what happened. But in 1991, it was ruled a no-hitter must consists of no hits against, regardless of the innings played.

Jimmy Stewart stayed in the game at short, while Jim Maloney hoped his team could get him a run.

Edwards grounded out to Banks, who made the play himself.

And then Cardenas took Jackson deep. 1-0, Cincinnati!

Maloney, the next batter, must have felt great! But he grounded out to the new shortstop, Stewart.

Harper kept the inning alive with the Reds’ 9^th hit. But it had taken them 9 2/3 innings to get those. Rose grounded to Banks, who made the toss to Jackson covering first.

Clemens walked, leading off. The 10^th walk given up by Maloney. The tying run was at first, and the winning run was at the plate.

And it was Billy Williams.

Maloney had walked 5 of the last 12 batters here.

He got Williams out on a fly to Harper in left.

Ernie Banks then grounded to the man who gave the Reds a 1-0, Cardenas.

Cardenas, the shortstop, tossed to Rose to eliminate Clemens.

And when Rose fired to first to get Banks, Maloney had his first no-hitter of the season.

Third time is really a charm.

Well, Maloney had charmed the Cubs. 10 IP, 0H, 10BB, 12K.

For those wondering about the nightcap? The Reds led 4-0 going into the bottom of the eighth. But 3 runs in the bottom of that inning, plus two more in the 9th, gave the Cubs a 5-4 win. Cubbies only got 2 walks, but 10 hits was enough.

10 hits? Well they were due for some, yes?


References

Buckley, James Jr. Unhittable: Reliving The Magic And Drama Of Baseballs Best-Pitched Games. Triumph Books, 2004. (DVD Insert).

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 12 Aug. 2013.