Summer in the city: Lane gets past Young

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Lane Tech right-hander Bobby Gora has had his share of chances to beat Young.

Has he had much success?

"No, not really," Gora said Monday. "That's why I wanted this game."

Gora lobbied the Indians' coaching staff to get the start in the North Division Summer League game against the host Dolphins. He got his wish -- and a whole lot more.

Gora shut down the defending city champions on five hits and Lane pushed across two runs in the top of the seventh to break a tie en route to a 4-2 victory.

It was a rare loss to a city opponent for Young, which was 20-0 vs. Public League competition this spring. Little wonder Gora was more than ready for this assignment.

"I came into this game more pumped up than I have all summer so far," the rising senior said.

That showed when he struck out the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the first inning. But that was the exception to the rule; Gora didn't whiff another Dolphin all afternoon.

"I have a good defense behind me and I trust them," Gora said. "I'd rather put the ball in play."

That was fine with Lane pitching coach Justin Stringer, who projects Gora as Lane's No. 1 starter next spring.

"We're definitely a pitching and defense team," Stringer said. "We always have been and we always will be. We take pride in the fact we're going to get the job done.

"If we can't hit, we can at least be able to throw it and field it."

The Indians did commit two errors, but also turned a couple of double plays. 

Gora kept his fielders on their toes by throwing strikes. He walked two Dolphins, both in the third inning.

"My breaking pitches were moving more than the last time I faced them," Gora said. "I felt like I was throwing a little harder so I was able to keep them guessing a little bit."

"He can throw a variety of pitches for strikes," Stringer said. "He can throw a fastball for a strike, he can throw a changeup for a strike, he can throw a breaking ball for a strike. 

"High school hitters are going to get themselves out a lot of the time. If you can locate pitches in the strike zone, you're going to be fairly successful."

Ditto if you can get some timely hits, which Lane did on Monday.

Kyle Huber and Esteban Abbey delivered RBI singles -- the latter with two out in the fifth, tying the score at 2-2.

Jake Pieruccini led off the decisive seventh with a base hit and eventually scored on an error. Abbey drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in an insurance run.

It all added up to a big win for Lane.

"Whitney Young and Lane are always the measuring sticks for baseball in the city," Stringer said. "Until somebody proves that they're going to go out and challenge those two teams, in my mind, those are the top two teams you should be looking at as far as the top teams in the city."

"We came close this season, but we fell short in the [Public League] playoffs," Gora said. "We wanted to play them in the city [tournament] but it didn't happen."

Ade Bowden was the only player in the game with more than one hit, finishing 2-for-3 with a stolen base for Young. Teammate Frank Gowder was 1-for-3 with a triple, a run scored and an RBI, and also pitched one-run ball over the first four innings.

mclark@chicagosuntimes.com