Mejia Shines in LumberKings Win

CLINTON, IA (May 3, 2019) - Humberto Mejia allowed just one hit over his five innings and Demetrius Sims and Marcos Rivera each homered in a Clinton LumberKings 3-1 win over the South Bend Cubs on Friday night. The pair of LumberKings (14-12) home runs accounted for all of their offense in a series opening win over the Cubs (14-13).
Mejia (2-0) earned his second win of the season with his strongest start of the year. Over his five innings out, he allowed just two men to reach against him - a Johnathan Sierra single and D.J. Artis walk. The one single and one walk from Mejia came with five strikeouts with the Cubs failing to have two men reach in the same inning against him.  
All of the support Mejia needed came in the bottom of the second inning. Marcos Rivera lifted a ball just over the fence in left for his second home run of the year off Cubs starter Faustino Carrera. Rivera's blast went for two runs and staked the LumberKings to an early lead they would not relinquish.
The long fly was all that was needed to hang Carrera (2-2) with the loss. He turned in six innings and surrendered just one more run on the night - Sims' solo home run in the sixth - while walking one and striking out six.
South Bend scored their only run of the night in the top of the seventh on a Nelson Velazquez RBI double off Tanner Andrews. Andrews made his LumberKings debut and earned the save for four innings of work in which he allowed just the one run on four hits while walking one and striking out one.
The LumberKings will now meet the South Bend Cubs for the second game of a three-game series on Saturday night. Clinton will throw right-handed pitcher Chris Vallimont (0-2, 2.73) while the Cubs will counter with righty Riley Thompson (2-0, 1.42). Fans looking to listen to the game can hear Brad Seward on the call at 100.3 FM WCCI and online at lumberkings.com via the tunein radio ap at 6:15 p.m. with the pregame show.
Arrive early to the game for a special Mother's Day giveaway courtesy of Don's Jeweler.
 
About the LumberKings
The Clinton LumberKings, the only remaining Charter Member of the Midwest League, are preparing for their 64^thseason in the league and their first year of affiliation with the Miami Marlins. Since the club's inception in 1937, 281 former Clinton players have gone on to reach the Major Leagues. Advertising and tickets for the 2019 season are available by calling (563)242-0727 or by visiting LumberKings.com