Preview: Kiwoom Heroes at Kia Tigers

GWANGJU, South Korea (Interstat) — The Kia Tigers, riding a three-game winning streak, will host the struggling Kiwoom Heroes to open a three-game series Tuesday evening at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. local time under cloudy skies with a game-time temperature near 67 degrees Fahrenheit (19 Celsius).

The Tigers (6-7) swept a three-game set against the Hanwha Eagles over the weekend, capped by a 9-3 victory Sunday. Catcher Han Jun-su led the offensive charge, going 4 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs in that contest. He is 6 for 13 with four RBIs over his last three games.

The Heroes (4-9) snapped a three-game skid with a 2-0 shutout of the Lotte Giants on Sunday but have lost nine of their last 12. Their hopes may rest on the arm of scheduled starter Bae Dong-hyun. The right-hander is coming off his best outing of the young season, tossing six scoreless innings with five strikeouts against Lotte. In his three starts prior to a rough relief appearance on March 28, Bae allowed just two earned runs over 16.1 innings.

Kia will counter with its own momentum, having averaged seven runs per game during its current win streak. The Tigers’ offense will look to continue its production against a Kiwoom pitching staff that has been inconsistent beyond Bae.

According to Interstat, the Tigers enter as clear favorites. Their game simulator projects a 4-3 Kia victory, and the organization’s ELO rating system gives the Tigers a 66.20% probability to win.

The series continues Wednesday and Thursday in Gwangju before both clubs hit the road for weekend sets. Kiwoom travels to Suwon to face the KT Wiz, while Kia heads to Seoul to take on the Doosan Bears.