Daejeon: With the opener of his team’s postseason series having shifted from an evening to a day game, Hanwha Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon predicted a low-scoring affair as they face the Samsung Lions on Saturday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Eagles were initially set to play the Samsung Lions in the second round of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark. However, persistent rain forced a rescheduling to 2 p.m. Saturday. The KBO postseason adheres to a schedule where weekday games begin at 6:30 p.m. and weekend games at 2 p.m.

Kim expressed that day games disrupt player routines due to the accustomed 6:30 p.m. start times, affecting sleep schedules and potentially giving pitchers an advantage. “I believe pitchers have an inherent advantage over hitters in day games,” Kim stated in his pregame remarks.

Both starting pitchers for Game 1 have demonstrated strong performances against their opponents. Cody Ponce of the Eagles had a six-inning shutout against the Lions on July 30, while Gerson Garabito of the Lions had two scoreless outings against the Eagles on June 26 and July 29. Ponce has been particularly effective in day games, maintaining a 6-0 record with a 0.59 ERA over seven starts. In contrast, Garabito has limited experience with one afternoon start, allowing one run in three innings.

Kim emphasized the importance of scoring first given the quality of the starting pitchers. “With good starting pitchers for both teams, I think it’s imperative we score the game’s first run,” Kim remarked. “We have to capitalize on opportunities when we get them.”