KBO's top 2 teams set for weekend clash

The KT Wiz and Samsung Lions are locked in a tight battle for the top spot in the South Korean baseball standings, with the Wiz currently leading by a single game. Both teams have won two consecutive games, setting the stage for an intense three-game series starting Friday at the Lions' home stadium in Daegu. The Wiz have struggled against the Lions this season, going 3-8-0.

Meanwhile, the Lions will face the Kiwoom Heroes, who are at the bottom of the table, in a three-game series beginning on Monday. The Wiz are also set to host the fifth-ranked Doosan Bears for three games from Tuesday to Thursday. With the top five teams securing postseason spots, the competition remains tight. The Bears lead the Giants by eight games, with the Eagles and Dinos close behind.

The Tigers, currently third, suffered a narrow 8-7 loss to the Heroes on Sunday, when Kim Jae-hyun hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth. The Tigers' Kim Do-yeong is close to breaking the KBO single-season home run record, which currently stands at 40 homers set by Lee Seung-yuop in 1999. The Twins, the league's worst team since mid-July, will try to climb the standings by facing the Dinos, Giants, and then the Giants again in their remaining home games.