Samsung at Hanwha

DAEJEON, South Korea (Interstat) — The surging Samsung Lions look to continue their dominance over the struggling Hanwha Eagles when the KBO League rivals meet again Thursday evening at Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. local time under cloudy skies with a temperature near 69 degrees Fahrenheit (21 Celsius).

The Lions (10-4-1) have won the first two games of this midweek series, including a 13-5 rout on Wednesday, and carry a five-game winning streak overall. The Eagles (6-9) have lost four straight and seven of their last eight.

A key player to watch for Samsung is reliever Jang Chan-hee, who was stellar in Wednesday’s victory, throwing 3 1/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Over his last six appearances, he has a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings pitched.

For Hanwha, reliever Hwang Jun-seo has been a rare bright spot amid the team’s pitching struggles. He fired three scoreless innings with four strikeouts in Wednesday’s loss. In his last five outings, he has allowed just two earned runs over 8 1/3 innings, though he has been tagged with four losses during that span.

Samsung’s offense exploded for 13 runs on 15 hits Wednesday, led by third baseman Jeon Byeong-woo, who drove in four runs. The Lions have averaged 7.4 runs per game during their current win streak.

Hanwha, conversely, has been outscored 24-10 in its last two games. Catcher Heo In-seo provided a highlight Wednesday with a two-run home run, but the Eagles’ pitching staff has an 8.44 ERA over the past four games.

According to Interstat, the Lions are projected favorites with a 52.3% probability to win. The outlet’s game simulator predicts a 7-3 Samsung victory.

Following the series finale, Samsung returns home to Daegu to open a three-game set against the LG Twins on Friday. Hanwha travels to Busan to begin a three-game series against the Lotte Giants.