Late rally falls short in 4-3 Desert Dogs loss

Rough day at the dish: Micker Adolfo was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in tonight's loss. (Sean Williams/South Side Hit Pen)

Salt River Rafters 4, Glendale Desert Dogs 3

Tyler Johnson (RP): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K (0.00 ERA)
Blake Rutherford (CF): 0-for-2, BB (.167 BA, .634 OPS)
Micker Adolfo (DH): 0-for-4, 3 K (.158 BA, .620 OPS)

Though the Desert Dogs rallied late, it was not enough in a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Rafters. The Rafters scored three in the top of the second, as a bases loaded walk and a two-run single proved to be costly in this one.

The Desert Dogs scored got on the board in the third, when 2018 fifth overall draft pick Jonathan India hit an RBI double. India's first hit of the Arizona Fall League the Desert Dogs' deficit to 3-1. The Rafters got that run back in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly to make the score 4-1. The final runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the ninth, when David Fry hit a two-run double to make it 4-3 with no outs, but the Desert Dogs could not score again.

Two players in the White Sox's system were in the starting lineup today, and neither one got a hit. However, center fielder Blake Rutherford got on base once, as he finished 0-for-2 with a walk. Rutherford also had a defensive highlight, as he made an outstanding catch in center. Rutherford was removed from the game later on, but it seems that his injury is not a long-term issue.

Micker Adolfo, whose hitting stats in the Arizona Fall League are strikingly similar to Rutherford's, failed to reach base. Adolfo struck out in three of his four plate appearances. One of those strikeouts occurred with runners on the corners and one out in the ninth, when the Desert Dogs trailed by one.

On the bright side, pitcher Tyler Johnson had a strong performance, as he pitched one scoreless inning of relief. Johnson pitched around a one-out single in the sixth, and that was the only baserunner he allowed. Of the other three hitters Johnson faced, one grounded out, one lined out, and one popped out.

The loss dropped the Desert Dogs to 3-7, while the Rafters improved to 6-4. The Desert Dogs have a day off tomorrow (as does everyone else in the Arizona Fall League), and they face the Solar Sox on Tuesday at 2:30 CST.