Rainy Showdown in Busan as Hot KT Wiz Visit Struggling Lotte Giants

BUSAN, South Korea (Interstat) — A clash of early-season opposites is set for Tuesday evening at Busan Sajik Baseball Stadium, where the surging KT Wiz meet the slumping Lotte Giants.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. local time under forecasted rainy conditions and 62-degree temperatures.

The Wiz (6-2) arrive riding high, having won six of their first eight games. They are fresh off a 2-0 shutout of the Samsung Lions on Sunday, powered by strong pitching. The Giants (2-6), meanwhile, are mired in a five-game losing streak, including a painful 4-3 walk-off loss to the Shinsegae Landers in their last outing.

The pitching matchup highlights the teams’ divergent trajectories. KT will hand the ball to right-hander Caleb Boushley, who has been dominant in his two starts. Boushley (2-0) has yet to allow an earned run this season, pitching 11 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. He earned the win in Sunday’s victory over the Lions.

Lotte counters with ace Park Se-woong (0-2), who seeks his first win despite a respectable 3.38 ERA. Park was sharp on March 31, throwing five scoreless innings against the NC Dinos, but took the loss on April 5 after allowing three earned runs to the Landers.

Offensively, KT’s lineup has been explosive, scoring nine or more runs in four games this season. Lotte’s bats have been inconsistent, failing to provide consistent support for its pitching staff during the skid.

According to Interstat, the Wiz are projected as solid favorites with a 58% probability to win. Their game simulator predicts a 7-2 KT victory. Betting markets list KT as a 1.5-run favorite with an over/under of 10 runs.

The game is the first of a three-game series between the clubs. They will meet again Wednesday and Thursday in Busan before each embarks on a new series Friday.