Clutch Single Lifts Bell Into 1st Place : Baseball: Gaytan’s hit comes in showdown with South Gate. Eagles’ ace pitcher Moreno-Orozco struggles with his control.

The Southeastern Conference showdown monday afternoon between Bell and South Gate high schools was a contest of character, experience and leadership.

That’s why Bell third baseman Larry Gaytan was the hero.

Gaytan’s two-out single in the top of the eighth inning gave Bell a 5-4 win and sole possession of first place.

“These are my types of games,” said Gaytan, who went 1-for-4 with one run batted in. “I’m a senior with four years of (varsity) experience and team captain. I have to step up in these types of games.”

South Gate, on the other hand, had the opposite problem.

“We didn’t take advantage of our scoring opportunities and it hurt us,” said South Gate Coach Mike Ryan. “We didn’t capitalize on Bell’s mistakes.”

The Eagles usually win easily when John Moreno-Orozco pitches.

But the Eagles’ ace struggled trying to finish off the Rams.

“This was my most horrible game because I had no control,” said Moreno-Orozco, who threw three wild pitches and walked six batters. “But, we got the win.”

Barely.

With two out and a runner on second base, Moreno-Orozco gave up an RBI single to Rafael Esparza that tied the score at 4-4.

Moreno-Orozco walked two batters to load the bases before relief pitcher Temo Lopez recorded the final to earn the save.

“South Gate is the best team we’ve faced all year,” said Bell Coach Henry Santiago. “I’m glad we were able to keep it close.”

South Gate starting pitcher Andy Silva also had trouble with his control. He walked five batters and hit four others.

With the bases loaded in the seventh, Silva hit Gus Valenzuela to force in a run and give Bell a short-lived 4-3 lead.

“Andy did good except for some control problems,” Ryan said. “(Our pitchers) hit four batters in the first 19 games, but eight in the last two.”

Carlos Lopez and Moreno-Orozco had run-scoring singles and Efrain Herrera had an RBI double as Bell held a 3-1 lead in the fifth

Silva went 2-for-3 with two walks.

Other highlights:

Ray Puga went 3-for-3 with three RBI and a stolen base as Garfield defeated Locke, 13-4, Tuesday . . . Jose Munoz went 3-for-4 with three RBI in Bell Gardens’ 6-5 win over Schurr Tuesday . . .

Pitcher Jeff Deno gave up only six hits while striking out 11 batters as Franklin shut out Verdugo Hills, 7-0, Tuesday . . . David Sigala went 3-for-4 with two RBI but Manual Arts lost to Fairfax on Tuesday, 6-4 . . .