Arizona Fall League: Corey Littrell Sharp as Desert Dogs Fall

After a day off on Sunday, the Glendale Desert Dogs and Surprise Saguaros got back into the swing of things with a matinee contest on Monday in Surprise, Arizona.

Saguaros 2, Desert Dogs 0

• Harrison Bader (LF): 2-4, SB
• Paul DeJong (SS): 2-5, K
• Carson Kelly (DH): 0-3, BB
• Corey Littrell (RP): 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K

Despite recording more hits, it was the Saguaros, not the Desert Dogs, who came away 2-0 winners on Monday afternoon.

The Saguaros tallied half of their six hits and scored the lone two runs of the ballgame in the bottom of the eighth off Desert Dogs reliever Corey Copping of the Dodgers’ organization. Twins outfielder Tanner English led off the inning with a base hit and later scored on a triple from teammate Nick Gordon, who was pushed across on a double from Ryan O’Hearn of the Royals. With an RBI apiece in the eighth, Gordon and O’Hearn each have five during the exhibition season thus far.

Saguaros starter Reed Garrett from the Rangers provided Surprise with a fine start, as he logged four scoreless frames and whiffed five batters. Garrett, who owns a 2.25 ERA in the Arizona Fall League to date, preceded scoreless innings of work from Shane McCain of the Rangers, Eric Stout of the Royals, Jamie Callahan of the Red Sox, and Twins relivers Randy Rosario and Mason Melotakis. Although the six hurlers combined to allow nine hits and three walks, they collectively held the Desert Dogs off the scoreboard throughout the game’s entirety.

Cardinals position players Harrison Bader and Paul DeJong each recorded a pair of hits, while Carson Kelly took an 0-for-3 on the day. Reliever Corey Littrell logged 2 1/3 scoreless innings and punched out four to lower his AFL earned run average down to 1.86. Littrell, the often forgotten acquisition of the Cardinals in the Allen Craig and Joe Kelly for John Lackey trade that occurred in 2014, posted a 3.90 ERA in 53 games between the Double-A and Triple-A levels during the regular season.

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On Tuesday, the Desert Dogs will return to Camelback Ranch to take on the Scottsdale Scorpions, who, like the ‘Dogs, are 6-12 entering play on the first day of November. Starting pitchers for the 1:35 p.m. CT matchup have not been announced at this time.