Chris Gardner (baseball)

Christopher John Gardner (born March 30, 1969) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Houston Astros in 1991. He wore jersey number 39.

Early life
In 1987 as a senior for Paso Robles High School, Gardner hit .350 with six home runs, earning the San Luis Obispo Tribune 's County Baseball Player of the Year award, All-CIF Division 1-A honors, and the Los Padres League co-MVP award. He also compiled a 2.47 earned-run average along with a 9-1 record on the mound.

College baseball career
While pitching for Cuesta College in 1988, Gardner won five games, led the Cougars with 45 strikeouts, and compiled a team-best 3.43 ERA.

Professional baseball career
Houston selected Gardner in the sixth round of the 1988 MLB Draft.

Gardner was called-up by the Astros after a stint starring in Jackson, Mississippi at the Double-A Texas League level, where he finished 1991 with a 13-5 record and a 3.15 ERA.

His best major league performance came on September 30, 1991, as he led the Astros to a 2-0 shutout at San Francisco, earning the win with six strikeouts, scattering six hits with three walks in seven innings of work.