DAEGU, South Korea (Interstat) — The Samsung Lions host the Kia Tigers on Friday evening at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, with first pitch set for 7 p.m. under cloudy skies and 70 degrees.

Samsung (23-15-1) enters with the best record in the Korea Baseball Organization, while Kia (19-20-1) sits below .500. The Lions have won two of three meetings this season, splitting a two-game set April 7-8 in Gwangju — a 10-3 Samsung win followed by a 15-5 Kia rout.

Kia sends right-hander Hwang Dong-ha to the mound. Hwang is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA across his past three starts, including a dominant seven-inning, eight-strikeout performance May 2 against KT Wiz. In his most recent outing Thursday, he allowed three earned runs over six innings in a 5-3 win over Doosan.

The Tigers are coming off a series win against Doosan, taking two of three. Their offense has been inconsistent, scoring three runs or fewer in five of their past eight games.

Samsung counters with shortstop Lee Jae-hyeon, who has been heating up. Lee went 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs in a 9-5 win Thursday at LG. He has three homers in his past four games after a cold stretch in mid-April where he went 0-for-8 in two games.

The Lions have won seven of their past 10 and swept a three-game set at NC last weekend. Their pitching staff has held opponents to three runs or fewer in six of the past eight games.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-4 Samsung victory. The ELO system gives Samsung a 59.4 percent win probability. Kia is listed as a 1.5-run favorite, and the over/under is 9.5.

The two teams continue the series Saturday and Sunday before Kia returns home to face LG and Samsung hosts KT Wiz.