The Kia Tigers have lost three straight games, putting them in a precarious position in the race for the top five. On top of that, rival teams are coming in with 1-3 records against KIA.
Doosan is sending Brandon, Alcantara, and Kwak Bin against KIA in what it calls “the most important series.” Next weekend, KT will also face KIA in a three-game series, with Cuevas-Benjamin-Go Young-pyo and 1-3 starters in the rotation. NC, which follows KT, could also use the one-two punch of Peddie and Tanner against KIA.
KIA is coming off a 6-8 comeback loss at Doosan in Gwangju on April 15. Lee Woo-sung hit his first career home run in the fourth inning to make it 5-2. Tied 5-5 in the fifth, Kim Sun-bin’s RBI double gave them the lead again, but they allowed the tying run to score in the eighth and lost the game in the ninth when Jung Hae-young gave up two runs on one hit and three walks.
Doosan will send Brandon, Alcantara, and Kwak-Bin to the mound for a three-game series against KIA on April 15-17. These are the best starters Doosan can field. Brandon struggled on the 15th, allowing six runs (four earned) in 4.2 innings, but the offense bounced back with Kang Seung-ho getting a cycling hit.
Manager Lee Seung-yeop said, “This weekend’s series with KIA is the most important. We expect a good performance from our 1-3 starters.” This season, Alcantara is 12-6 with a 2.29 ERA. Kwak Bin is 10-7 with a 3.12 ERA.
Sixth-ranked Doosan dropped KIA to fifth place with a win on the 15th and stayed within striking distance. SSG, who did not play on the 15th, moved into fourth place, 0.5 games ahead of KIA and Doosan.
The Doosan-KIA game on Saturday will feature Doosan’s Alcantara and KIA’s interim starter Hwang Dong-ha. The starting matchup favors Doosan. Hwang Dong-ha pitched 4.1 innings of two-run ball against LG on Sept. 9, so expect another surprise performance.
KT manager Lee Kang-cheol is most wary of KIA. KT has seven games remaining against KIA, the most of any team. In terms of head-to-head record this season, KT has an absolute disadvantage with 2 wins and 7 losses.
In addition, KIA has played seven games less than KT so far and has the most games remaining. “It will be reassuring to have at least three games between us and KIA,” Lee said. Kia has been on a scary upswing in August and September, 스포츠토토 winning nine straight games.
Barring a rainout, KT will start Cuevas, Benjamin, and Young-pyo for the three-game series against KIA on Aug. 22-24. “People said that we had (1-3 starters) against LG last time, but we made the rotation thinking about next week’s game against KIA,” Lee said.