AP Sports Preview: NC Dinos at KT Wiz

SUWON, South Korea (Interstat) — The KT Wiz host the NC Dinos on Saturday afternoon at Suwon Baseball Stadium in a clash of KBO teams trending in opposite directions.

KT (26-18-1) enters having won three of its last four, including a 7-4 victory over NC on Friday. The Wiz sit near the top of the league standings, buoyed by a deep rotation and timely hitting. NC (18-26-1) has lost four of five and trails in the division.

Right-hander Ko Young-pyo (4-2, 3.86 ERA) is scheduled to start for KT. In his most recent outing, he allowed four earned runs over six innings against these same Dinos, but struck out four and earned the win. Over his last five starts, Ko has logged 29 innings with 36 strikeouts.

NC will counter with a bullpen game led by right-handed reliever Lim Ji-min. Lim, who tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings Friday against KT, has a 3.86 ERA over 11 appearances. He has not allowed an earned run in five of his last six outings.

Friday’s game featured a four-run seventh inning for KT, keyed by a bases-clearing double from Choi Won-jun, who drove in three runs. NC shortstop Kim Ju-won went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the loss.

The weather at game time is forecast to be 81 degrees with clouds.

Interstat’s simulation projects a 3-2 final score in favor of KT, and its ELO model gives the home team a 58.8 percent chance to win.

The teams meet again Sunday to conclude the series before KT travels to Seoul to face the Doosan Bears on Tuesday. NC returns home to host the Hanwha Eagles on May 26.

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