Preview: Doosan Bears at Shinsegae Landers

INCHEON, South Korea (Interstat) — The Shinsegae Landers will look to build on a decisive shutout victory and secure a series win when they host the struggling Doosan Bears on Thursday evening at Munhak Baseball Stadium.

Forecasters expect clear skies and mild temperatures of 69 degrees for the 6:30 p.m. first pitch.

The Landers (8-7-1) evened the three-game set with a 6-0 win Wednesday after the Bears (5-9-1) romped to an 11-3 victory Tuesday. Shinsegae holds a narrow edge in the early-season standings.

A player to watch for the Landers is reliever Choi Min-jun, who has been exceptional in a multi-inning role. Over his last three appearances spanning 13.1 innings, he has allowed zero earned runs, just eight hits and struck out 11. He was dominant in Wednesday’s win, tossing four scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

The Bears will counter with their own reliable bullpen arm in Kim Jeong-woo. The right-hander has not allowed an earned run in his last six appearances, covering seven innings, while striking out nine. He pitched two perfect innings in Wednesday’s loss.

Despite recent pitching highlights, Doosan’s offense was silenced a day ago, managing only three hits. The Bears have lost four of their last five games overall.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a tight 4-3 victory for the Landers, giving Shinsegae a 59.1% probability to win according to its ELO rating system. Betting markets list the Landers as a 1.5-run favorite with an over/under of 9 runs.

Following the series finale, the Landers embark on a six-game road trip, starting Friday in Changwon against the NC Dinos. The Bears return to Seoul to open a three-game weekend series Friday against the Kia Tigers at Jamsil Stadium.