Struggling Heroes Face First-Place Wiz in Suwon

SUWON-SI, South Korea (Interstat) — A clash of KBO League opposites is set for Friday evening as the last-place Kiwoom Heroes open a three-game series against the first-place KT Wiz at Suwon Baseball Stadium.

The Heroes (4-12) arrive reeling, having lost eight of their last ten games, including a 5-1 defeat at Kia on Thursday. The Wiz (11-5), meanwhile, are riding high after taking two of three from the NC Dinos, including a 4-3 victory Thursday.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. local time under cloudy skies with a game-time temperature of 73 degrees Fahrenheit (23 Celsius).

The pitching matchup features two right-handers in divergent stretches. Kiwoom will hand the ball to Raul Alcántara (1-3, 3.86 ERA), who took the loss Thursday despite a quality start, allowing three earned runs over six innings. He has logged at least six innings in four straight outings but has only one win to show for it.

KT counters with Matthew Sauer (2-2, 4.13 ERA). He earned the win Thursday in Gwangju, pitching into the sixth inning while striking out eight. He has been consistent, completing at least five innings in all four starts this season.

The teams’ trajectories are starkly different. Kiwoom’s offense has mustered three or fewer runs in six of its last ten games. KT has scored at least four runs in eight of its last ten and boasts the league’s best run differential.

According to Interstat, the Wiz are heavy favorites with a 71.8% probability to win. Their game simulator projects a 5-2 KT victory. Betting markets list KT as a -1.5 run favorite with an over/under of 9.5 runs.

This series begins a crucial 10-game homestand for the Wiz. The Heroes continue a difficult road stretch before returning to Seoul next Tuesday.