KIA TIGERS AT NC DINOS PREVIEW

CHANGWON, South Korea (Interstat) — The Kia Tigers visit the NC Dinos on Friday evening at Masan Baseball Stadium, with the first-place Tigers looking to extend their lead in the Korea Baseball Organization standings.

Kia (52-45-2) enters the series opener riding a two-game winning streak after a 12-3 rout of the Samsung Lions on Thursday. The Tigers hold a commanding 10-game lead over the Dinos in the standings.

NC (42-50) has lost five of its past six games, including a 10-2 defeat Thursday against the KT Wiz. The Dinos are 3-7 in their last 10 contests.

The forecast calls for 89-degree temperatures and cloudy skies at game time.

Players to watch

Kia first baseman Harold Castro has been on a tear, collecting nine hits in his past four games with three home runs and eight RBIs. In Thursday’s win over Samsung, Castro went 3 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs. Over his last eight games, he is batting .375 with five homers.

NC reliever Kim Jin-ho has been solid out of the bullpen, tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings over his past three appearances with four strikeouts. He worked a scoreless inning Thursday against KT Wiz, allowing one hit. Kim has not allowed a run in five of his last six outings.

Series history

The teams split a three-game series July 3-5 in Gwangju, with the Dinos winning the first two games before being shut out in the finale. NC has won four of the past six meetings, but the Tigers took two of three in Changwon in late April.

Projection

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 4-2 Kia win, with the Tigers holding a 50.6 percent probability of victory according to the ELO system.

Up next

The teams continue the three-game series Saturday and Sunday before Kia returns home to face KT Wiz on Tuesday. NC travels to face the Doosan Bears on Tuesday.