Rapid Rewind: Lee pitches Kernels past Wisconsin in DH opener, 3-0

CEDAR RAPIDS - Brett Lee finally got to start a game Tuesday night, and made the most of it.

Pushed back twice because of numerous rainouts, the Cedar Rapids Kernels left-hander threw six shutout innings in a 3-0 win over Wisconsin in the first game of a Midwest League double-header at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Lee (2-0) pitched relief innings in a pair of games but had been the odd-man out in a six-man starting pitching rotation. He got the ball Tuesday and threw six shutout innings, giving up six hits and striking out three.

He fielded his position immaculately, recording four 1-3 outs, including stabbing a hot comebacker that prevented a run from scoring in the second inning. Lee was a 10th-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins in 2011 out of St. Petersburg (Fla.) Junior College.

The Kernels (8-3) scored a run in the third. J.D. Williams singled to right with one out and went to second on a throwing error past first on Wisconsin right-fielder Mitch Haniger. Jorge Polanco came through with a two-out single the other way to right to score Williams.

Cedar Rapids got a pair of insurance runs in the sixth, one earned and one unearned. Romy Jimenez infield single off the glove of Timber Rattlers second baseman Chris McFarland with the bases loaded plated Dalton Hicks. A two-out fielding error on McFarland scored Niko Goodrum.

Center fielder Byron Buxton did not play in Game One. He left Monday's game early after being hit by a pitch and having his left (non-throwing) elbow swell.