Dodgers' Lee makes solid pro debut

Aside from issuing three walks, Dodgers first-round pick Zach Lee was pleased with his professional debut.

The 19-year-old right-hander tossed four scoreless innings Friday in the Great Lakes Loons' 2-1 loss to the visiting Lake County Captains. Selected 28th overall in the 2010 Draft, he yielded two hits and issued three walks while striking out five.

Lee stranded a runner in scoring position in the first, second and fourth innings but did not allow anyone to reach third base and exited a scoreless game.

"I wasn't too nervous," he said of his first Midwest League outing. "It felt good. I threw the ball good and I located my pitches well.

"I got ahead with my fastball and then worked with my off-speed pitches later in the at-bat."

Lake County's Carlos Moncrief walked and stole second in the opening frame, but Lee retired Jesus Aguilar on an inning-ending groundout. He fanned the first two batters in the second before allowing a walk and a single, but Argenis Martinez grounded out.

The 6-foot-4 Texas native worked a perfect third but issued a one-out walk and a two-out single in the fourth to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Lee, who threw 39 of 69 pitches for strikes, fanned Brian Heere to end the inning before being replaced by Pete Budkevics (0-1).

"I would have liked to go longer," Lee said, "but it is what it is. The only thing I can really dwell on is the three walks, but I kept my team in the ballgame, so I am pleased with that."

Tyler Cannon put Lake County ahead in the sixth with an RBI single up the middle and Jason Smit tripled and scored on an errant pickoff with one out in the ninth.

The Loons avoided the shutout on back-to-back doubles in the ninth by Christian Lara and Blake Dean, but they left the tying run in scoring position after Nick Akins and Jonathan Garcia struck out and Roman Pena grounded out.