Gwangju, South Korea (Interstat) — The Kia Tigers host the Lotte Giants on Friday evening at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, with first pitch set under cloudy skies and 62-degree temperatures.

Kia (10-12) enters the contest having lost three straight, including an 8-3 defeat Thursday at KT Wiz. The Tigers will look to rebound behind right-hander Lee Eui-lee, who is coming off a rough outing in that game, allowing five earned runs on four hits over five innings.

Lotte (7-14) snapped a five-game skid with a 6-1 win over Doosan on Thursday, powered by a dominant start from right-hander Elvin Rodríguez. Rodríguez threw six innings, allowing one earned run on six hits while striking out eight. He is expected to start Friday.

Rodríguez has been Lotte’s most consistent arm, posting a 3-2 record across six starts. His season includes an eight-inning, 11-strikeout gem against Kiwoom on April 10 and a five-inning scoreless outing against Samsung on March 28. However, he was roughed up on April 3, allowing eight earned runs in four innings against Shinsegae.

Lee’s season has been erratic. He earned a win on April 17, tossing five scoreless innings against Doosan, but has allowed at least three earned runs in three of his five outings, including a 2.2-inning, five-strikeout start against NC on April 4.

The teams are scheduled for a three-game series through Sunday. Kia’s lineup has struggled to produce consistently, while Lotte’s offense has been limited, scoring two or fewer runs in eight of its last 12 games.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the projected final score is Kia 4, Lotte 2. The ELO system gives the Tigers a 59.4% probability to win. Despite Lotte’s sub-.500 record, oddsmakers have installed the Giants as a -1.5 favorite. The over/under is set at 8.5 runs.