Lions holding edge in Korean Series bullpen battle despite missing star closer

DAEGU — Before the Korean Series started this week, it appeared as though the KT Wiz would have an advantage in the battle of the bullpens over the Samsung Lions. After all, the Wiz boasted their All-Star closer Park Yeong-hyun, who finished third in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with 30 saves in the regular season. The Lions, on the other hand, were without their own All-Star closer Kim Jae-yoon, who led the league with 35 saves but was ruled out of the postseason in October due to an upper body injury. Also working in the Wiz's favor was that their pitchers would be well rested for the Korean Series because the team earned a bye to the championship round by virtue of finishing first in the regular season. The Korean Series started three weeks after their last regular-season game. The Lions, as the No. 2 seed, had to play an extra round in the postseason, and they battled the Kia Tigers to the full five games last week to earn their ticket to the Korean Series. In the first two games of the Korean Series, though, the Lions have had better performances from their relievers tha