SEOUL, South Korea (Interstat) — In a stark pitchers’ duel that defied pregame projections, the Kiwoom Heroes edged the Lotte Giants 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at Gocheok Sky Dome, salvaging the final game of their three-game series behind a masterful start from right-hander Bae Dong-hyun.

The game, which concluded in the evening under the dome’s lights, was a tense, low-hit affair dominated by pitching. The two teams combined for just 11 hits, with the Heroes managing only five but making two of them count in the early innings to secure the victory. The result improved Kiwoom’s record to 4-9, while Lotte fell to 5-8.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the bottom of the first and third innings, where Kiwoom built its entire offensive output. Leading off the bottom of the first, Heroes center fielder Lee Ju-hyung immediately put the Giants in a hole, driving Park Se-woong’s second pitch of the game over the right-field wall for a solo home run. The early 1-0 lead provided an immediate cushion for Bae.

Kiwoom doubled its advantage in the third. Lee Ju-hyung worked a walk with one out, and after a fly out, designated hitter An Chi-hong delivered the inning’s key blow. He ripped a double down the left-field line, easily scoring Lee from first to make it 2-0. Those two runs would prove insurmountable as Lotte’s offense sputtered repeatedly against Kiwoom’s arms.

Bae Dong-hyun, named the top star for Kiwoom, was the story of the day. The winning pitcher expertly navigated six scoreless innings, scattering three hits and striking out five while walking one. He neutralized Lotte threats efficiently, inducing a double-play grounder from Han Dong-hui with a runner on in the sixth to end his outing. Bae’s record improved to a perfect 3-0 on the young season, continuing an impressive April that has seen him allow just two earned runs over his last 16.1 innings of work.

Lotte starter Park Se-woong was nearly as effective but was ultimately betrayed by the two early runs. He matched Bae’s six-inning stint, allowing both Kiwoom runs on five hits. Park struck out eight Heroes batters, showcasing sharp stuff, but the first-inning homer to Lee and the RBI double to An Chi-hong were his undoing. He was tagged with the loss, falling to 0-2.

The Giants’ best chance to break through came in the top of the eighth inning against the Kiwoom bullpen. With one out, Son Seong-bin reached on a dropped third strike. Hwang Seong-bin then laced a triple down the right-field line, putting the tying runs in scoring position with only one out. However, Kiwoom reliever Yuto Kanakubo struck out Jo-jo Reyes for the second out, and Park Jin-hyung entered to get No Jin-hyuk to fly out weakly to left, stranding both runners and preserving the 2-0 lead.

Lotte mounted a final, faint threat in the ninth against Kiwoom closer Kim Jae-ung. Han Dong-hui led off with a single, bringing the potential tying run to the plate. But Kim Jae-ung settled in, getting Jeon Jun-woo to fly out, Han Tae-yang to ground into a fielder’s choice, and striking out Yoon Dong-hee to end the game and earn his third save of the season.

The game was a dramatic departure from statistical expectations. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 3-2 Lotte victory, and its ELO system gave the Giants a 56.2 percent probability to win. Lotte had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. Instead, the contest became a pitcher-dominated classic, with the total score of two runs dramatically going under the over/under line of 7.5.

The victory allowed the Heroes to avoid a series sweep after dropping the first two games of the set by identical 3-1 scores. For the Giants, the loss snapped a modest two-game winning streak and continued their struggles to find consistent offense, having been shut out for the first time this season.

Both teams now look ahead to road series beginning Tuesday. The Lotte Giants travel to Jamsil to face the LG Twins for a three-game set. The Kiwoom Heroes head to Gwangju for a three-game series against the Kia Tigers.