PREVIEW: Kia at Shinsegae

INCHEON, South Korea (Interstat) — The Kia Tigers, riding a surge in the standings, look to continue their dominance over the last-place Shinsegae Landers on Saturday evening at Munhak Baseball Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. under a forecast of 78 degrees and rain.

Kia (45-39-2) enters the contest after a 5-2 win at Lotte on July 9, a game in which left-hander Yang Hyeon-jong earned the victory. Yang is 2-0 with a tie in his last three starts, including a no-decision against the Landers on July 1 in which he allowed one earned run over five innings. He has consistently worked five innings per outing, posting a 1.80 ERA over that span.

Shinsegae (31-52-2) is coming off a 7-0 loss at Doosan on July 9. Right-hander Choi Min-jun took the loss, allowing one earned run over three innings. Choi has struggled recently, with a 3.60 ERA across his last three outings but has shown flashes of effectiveness, notably striking out five over 2 2/3 innings against Hanwha on June 28.

The teams have played two tight games to open this series, both 0-0 ties on Thursday and Friday. The Tigers have won five of the last seven meetings overall, including an 8-7 victory on July 2 in Gwangju that featured a late-inning rally. Shinsegae’s last win in the series came March 29, a 7-6 decision at home.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 3-1 Kia victory, and the ELO system gives the Tigers a 57.7 percent probability to win.

Following Saturday’s game, the teams conclude the series Sunday. Kia then returns home for a three-game set against Hanwha starting Tuesday, while Shinsegae travels to Lotte for a three-game series beginning the same day.