SUWON-SI, South Korea (Interstat) — In a tightly contested pitchers’ duel that defied pregame projections, the Samsung Lions edged the KT Wiz 2-1 on Friday night at Suwon Baseball Stadium, cooling off the league’s hottest team.

A crowd of 18,700 watched as the visiting Lions, installed as underdogs, leaned on a sterling start from right-hander Ariel Jurado and a timely sixth-inning triple to snap the Wiz’s five-game winning streak. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 7-3 KT victory, giving the Wiz a 53.6% probability to win, but the contest became a classic low-scoring affair where one swing proved decisive.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the top of the sixth inning, breaking a 1-1 deadlock. With two outs and Samsung’s Lewin Díaz standing on second after a double, second baseman Ryu Ji-hyuk drove a pitch into the left-center field gap. The ball rolled to the wall as Díaz raced around the bases. Ryu slid into third with a triple, and Díaz crossed home plate with what would stand as the winning run. The clutch hit made a hard-luck loser of KT starter Matthew Sauer.

Samsung struck first in the third inning without the benefit of a hit. Lee Jae-hyeon led off with a double and advanced to third on a Kim Ji-chan single. Kim Sung-yoon then grounded out to second, allowing Lee to score for a 1-0 Lions lead.

KT answered immediately in the bottom of the second on one swing from cleanup hitter Sam Hilliard. The Wiz left fielder connected on a Jurado offering and sent it over the wall in right-center field for a solo home run, tying the game. It was one of the few mistakes Jurado would make.

From there, the game settled into a tense battle. Jurado, coming off a loss to the Lotte Giants on March 28 where he allowed three earned runs, was in complete command. He worked six strong innings, scattering five hits, walking one and striking out four. He expertly navigated traffic, stranding Wiz runners in scoring position in the fourth inning to preserve the tie before his offense reclaimed the lead.

Sauer was nearly his equal for KT, also lasting six innings while yielding two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. The difference was Ryu’s two-out triple. The KT bullpen of Han Seung-hyuk, Jeon Yong-ju and Kim Min-su combined for three scoreless innings of relief, allowing just two hits, but the Wiz offense could not mount a comeback.

Samsung’s bullpen sealed the victory. Bae Chan-seung worked a scoreless seventh, and Baek Jung-hyun navigated a minor threat in the eighth. After a one-out single by Choi Won-joon, Kim Hyun-soo grounded into a crucial inning-ending double play. Ahn Hyun-min followed with a single and advanced to second on a fielding error, but Bae Chan-seung struck out Hilliard to end the frame.

In the ninth, veteran closer Kim Jae-yoon took over for Samsung. He retired the side in order, striking out Jang Sung-woo to end the game and secure his first save of the season.

The Lions managed seven hits total, with Ryu Ji-hyuk going 2-for-4 with the game-winning RBI. KT also collected seven hits, but went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and hit into two double plays.

With the victory, Samsung improved to 3-2-1 on the young season, while KT suffered its first loss, falling to 5-1. Jurado earned the win, moving to 1-1, while Sauer took the loss, also moving to 1-1.

The game’s total of three runs fell dramatically under the pregame over/under line of 9.5, underscoring the dominant pitching performance from both sides.

The two teams will continue their series in Suwon on Saturday, April 4. The Lions will look to build momentum before a road trip to face the Kia Tigers next week, while the Wiz aim to rebound before hosting the Lotte Giants.