CLINTON - With both the Cedar Rapids Kernels and Clinton Lumber Kings already having their postseason plans cemented in place, the Kernels and Lumber Kings still have a three game series in Clinton to play out the string in the regular season.

The first game in the series went to the Kernels, 5-0, Saturday night at Ashford University Field, in a game that took just 1 hour and 56 minutes to complete.

But if the plan was to simply play out the string on the regular season, someone forgot to tell Kernels starting pitcher Tim Shibuya.

Shibuya gave up a two-out single to Dario Pizzano, the Clinton designated hitter, in the first inning and then retired the next 16 hitters he faced. The right-hander struck out six batters and walked one en route to his complete game shutout over the Lumber Kings.

Shibuya (4-0) has gone at least seven innings in all four of his starts for the Kernels since entering the starting rotation on August 19 and takes pride in going deep in to games.

“I like logging innings, I like trying to be a workhorse for the guys. Just try to pitch to contact and get some ground balls early and get us out of innings,” said Shibuya.

Shibuya added that he appreciates getting a lead to work with from his offense. “Our offense has done a real good job of putting up one, two, three, four runs early in the game to give you something to work on and I pride myself on being able to have a shut-down inning after we score.”

Shibuya has also earned a spot in the rotation for the Kernels’ opening playoff series against Quad Cities. He will start Game 2 of the series, at home in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Sept. 5. Brett Lee is slated to start Game 1 on the road in Davenport on Wednesday.

“He (Shibuya) is in a groove,” commented Kernels pitching coach Gary Lucas. “It’s a credit to him and his hard work. He did a lot of stuff down in Florida and (Elizabethton) to get himself ready. He’s been in this league before and he’s on a mission.”

The only Clinton scoring threat came in the bottom half of the seventh inning when a pair of singles and a passed ball put Lumber Kings on second and third base with one out. But Shibuya struck out Taylor Ard and second baseman Tyler Grimes made the defensive play of the game, nabbing a ground ball off the bat of Alfredo Morales that deflected off Shibuya. Grimes was still moving hard to his right when he threw out Morales at first base.

The Kernels jumped into the lead in the first inning when Jonathan Murphy and Grimes started the game with back-to-back singles. Murphy later scored on a sacrifice fly by Max Kepler.

Murphy also scored the Kernels’ second run after leading off the third inning with a triple to right-center field. Grimes followed with his second hit of the game, driving in Murphy with a single.

Mike Gonzales made it 3-0 Cedar Rapids with a blast to right-center field to lead off the Kernels’ fourth inning.

Catcher Bo Altobelli, who is hitting at a .328 clip since joining the Kernels, drove in Jorge Polanco with the Kernels’ fourth run in the sixth inning.

Cedar Rapids added their fifth run in the sixth inning on a Travis Harrison walk, an Altobelli single and an errant throw by the Lumber Kings that allowed Harrison to score from second base.

The teams play again Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Clinton.

KERNELS (5): Murphy, cf, 5 2 2 0, Grimes, 2b, 4 0 2 1, Polanco, ss, 4 1 1 0, Kepler, rf, 3 0 0 1, Gonzales, dh, 4 1 2 1, Harrison, 3b, 2 1 0 0, Altobelli, c, 4 0 2 1, Quesada, 1b, 4 0 1 0, Pineda, lf, 4 0 0 0. Totals 34 5 10 4.

CLINTON (0): McGruder, lf, 4 0 0 0, Shank, 3b, 4 0 2 0, Pizzano, dh, 4 0 1 0, Zorrilla, cf, 4 0 1 0, Ard, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Morales, rf, 3 0 0 0, Peguero, ss, 3 0 0 0, Caballero, 2b, 3 0 0 0, Torres, c, 2 0 0 0. Totals 31 0 4 0.

Kernels  101 101 001 - 5 10 0
Clinton  000 000 000 - 0  4 1

Shibuya and Altobelli. Holman, Ogando (9) and Torres. W-Shibuya (4-0). L-Holman (4-8). 3B-Murphy (4). HR-Gonzales (5). SB-Polanco (4). SF-Kepler. E-Ard (14). T-1:56. A-1,411.