Samsung Lions vs. KIA Tigers – 7/16/20 KBO Baseball Pick, Odds, and Prediction

The KIA Tigers and Samsung Lions meet Thursday morning in South Korea KBO baseball action at the Daegu Samsung Lions Park.  

The KIA Tigers look for a win after winning five of their last six games. The KIA Tigers pitching staff has allowed four or less runs in 16 of their last 25 games. In their last effort, Choi Hyung-woo and Park Chan-ho combined for five hits and four RBI while Drew Gagnon allowed two runs and four hits in 5.2 innings of work. The KIA Tigers have won 18 of their last 28 games overall. Yang Hyun-jong gets the ball tonight for the KIA Tigers. 

The Samsung Lions need a victory here after losing five of their last six games. The Samsung Lions have allowed five or less runs in 16 of their last 26 games. In their latest effort, Lee Won-seok and Lee Hak-ju combined for two hits and two RBI while Baek Jung-hyun allowed one run and three hits in 5.2 innings of work. The Samsung Lions have won 19 of their last 32 games overall. Heo Yoon-dong gets the ball tonight for the Samsung Lions.     

The KIA Tigers and Samsung Lions have split their last eight meetings, but it’s the Tigers who have won four of the last six meetings. Three of the last seven meetings between the Lions and Tigers have produced double-digit run totals. 

The KIA Tigers are playing far and away the better baseball right now and probably should be the side if betting this contest. However, I’m leaning toward the over in this game due to the pitching staffs. Yoon-dong has a 4.15 ERA and 1.73 WHIP with 17 walks in 26 innings, and he’s allowed at least two earned runs in each of his last six games. Hyun-jong has a 5.65 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with 48 strikeouts in 63.2 innings. Hyun-jong has allowed 12 earned runs and 19 hits in his last 9.2 innings. I can’t confidently get involved with the side in this game based on the starting pitching matchups. 

Expect some fireworks in this contest. Give me the over 10 runs as we close out this series.