Preview: Kia Tigers at Hanwha Eagles

DAEJEON, South Korea (Interstat) — The struggling Kia Tigers will look to build on a rare offensive outburst when they visit the Hanwha Eagles on Friday evening to open a three-game series at Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. local time under forecasted rainy conditions and a temperature near 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius).

The Tigers (3-7) snapped a four-game losing streak with a 15-5 rout of the Samsung Lions on Wednesday. Slugger Na Sung-bum led the charge, going 3 for 4 with a home run and five RBIs. For the season, Na is batting .250 with two homers and eight RBIs, but his production has been inconsistent.

Kia’s lineup, which also features hot-hitting import Harold Castro (.395, 9 RBIs), will face a tough test against Hanwha’s Moon Dong-ju. The Eagles’ right-hander is coming off a solid outing, allowing two earned runs over five innings in a 4-3 win over the Shinsegae Landers on April 8.

The Eagles (6-4) have won four of their last five games and sit in the upper tier of the Korea Baseball Organization standings. First baseman Kang Baek-ho provides power in the middle of the order, hitting .324 with two homers and nine RBIs.

Hanwha took two of three games from the Tigers in their last meeting in late March.

According to Interstat, the Eagles are projected favorites with a 57.7% probability to win. The service’s game simulator predicts a 5-2 victory for Hanwha.

Following this series, the Tigers will host the Kiwoom Heroes for three games beginning Tuesday. The Eagles will remain home for a three-game set against the Samsung Lions starting Tuesday.