Lotte at KT

SUWON, South Korea (Interstat) — The Lotte Giants aim for a fourth consecutive victory over the KT Wiz on Sunday evening at Suwon Baseball Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. under cloudy skies and 77-degree temperatures.

Lotte (36-43-2) enters the contest riding a two-game winning streak against its KBO League rival, having outscored KT 8-1 over the past two days. The Giants took a 4-1 decision Saturday behind right-hander Jeremy Beasley, who will take the mound again Sunday seeking his fourth consecutive win.

Beasley (4-3) has been dominant in recent outings, allowing just one earned run over his past 10 innings while striking out 11. In Saturday’s victory, he yielded two hits and one earned run over six innings, fanning six. The 29-year-old American has posted a 2.84 ERA over his last three starts.

KT (44-35-2) counters with right-hander Ko Young-pyo, who took the loss Saturday despite a solid effort. Ko (8-5) allowed two earned runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts. He has compiled a 2.84 ERA over his past three appearances but has lost two straight decisions.

The Wiz hold a commanding eight-game lead over the Giants in the standings but have struggled recently against Lotte’s pitching. Over the three most recent head-to-head meetings, the Giants have held KT to two total runs, including a 4-0 shutout Friday.

The Interstat computer simulation projects a 4-2 Lotte victory, though the ELO rating system gives KT a 59.4 percent probability of winning.

For the Giants, catcher Kim Won-jung and reliever Choi Jun-yong provided scoreless relief work in Saturday’s win. For KT, relievers Lee Sang-dong and Jeon Yong-ju combined for 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Following Sunday’s game, both teams have three days off before resuming play Tuesday. Lotte hosts the Kia Tigers for a three-game series, while KT welcomes the Kiwoom Heroes.