The calendar says June, but the Chicago Cubs currently have the best record in baseball and Tampa Bay continues to battle atop the American League East standings. Chicago hasn’t won the World Series since 1908, and hasn’t even appeared in the World Series since 1945. Tampa Bay has been a perennial doormat since joining the league in 1998, finishing dead last in the AL East every year except for one when the Rays finished fourth.

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There are still four months to go in the regular season and over 100 games per team, so it will be interesting to see how everything plays out during the summer. Now let’s break down four games on Friday’s schedule, with two each from the National and American Leagues.

**Cardinals (Looper) at Astros (Moehler)**

-The Stratosphere installed Houston as a $1.25 home ‘chalk’ over St. Louis, with the total set at 9 ½. This National League Central contest is slated to start at 8:05 p.m. ET.

-St. Louis pitcher Braden Looper (7-4, 5.03 ERA) heads to the hill fresh off Sunday’s victory over Pittsburgh as a $1.35 home favorite, 7-4. The Wichita State product went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with three walks and a strikeout.

-The combined 11 runs toppled the nine-run closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to cash his third consecutive start.

-Looper is 1-1 against the Astros this season in three starts, going a combined 17 innings while yielding 11 runs on 16 hits (one home run) with four walks and seven strikeouts. The Cardinals prevailed as a $1.10 road underdog, 6-4, while losing as a $1.27 home ‘chalk,’ 3-2, and as a $1.33 home favorite, 8-2. The ‘over’ went 2-1 during those three outings.

-Houston’s Brian Moehler (2-2, 3.81 ERA) dropped to 1-2 his last three starts after Saturday’s setback to Milwaukee as a $1.70 road underdog, 4-1. The right-hander was reached for three runs on six hits (one home run) with a walk and six strikeouts over five innings.

-The combined five runs failed to eclipse the 8 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 4-0-1 his five starts.

-The 36-year-old has not started against the Cardinals the previous few seasons.

**Cubs (Gallagher) at Dodgers (Kuroda)**

-The Stratosphere opened Los Angeles as a $1.25 home favorite over Chicago, with the total listed at 8 ½ (-120). First pitch is scheduled for 10:40 p.m. ET.

-Chicago right-hander Sean Gallagher (3-1, 4.55 ERA) has strung together back-to-back victories after upending Colorado Sunday as a $1.60 home ‘chalk,’ 5-3. The 22-year-old went 5 2/3 innings, surrendering three runs on six hits with no walks and eight strikeouts.

-The combined eight runs failed to topple the 9 ½-run closing total, enabling the ‘under’ to cash his third consecutive start.

-Gallagher beat the Dodgers May 27 as a $1.10 home favorite, 3-1, allowing one run on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts over seven innings. The combined four runs went ‘under’ the 7 ½-run closing total.

-Los Angeles pitcher Hiroki Kuroda (2-5, 3.93 ERA) has dropped consecutive contests after falling to New York Sunday as a $1.60 road underdog, 6-1. The Japanese native lasted just 2 2/3 innings while getting tagged for six runs on seven hits (two home runs) with two walks and no strikeouts.

-The combined seven runs slithered ‘under’ the 7 ½-run closing total, enabling the ‘under’ to cash his fourth straight start.

-Kuroda fell to Gallagher and the Cubs in that May 27 matchup, pitching 6 1/3 innings while surrendering two runs (one earned) on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

**Rays (Kazmir) at Rangers (Padilla)**

-The Stratosphere lists Tampa Bay as a $1.35 road ‘chalk’ over Texas, with the total set at 9 ½. The American League contest is scheduled to begin at 8:05 p.m. ET.

-Tampa Bay southpaw Scott Kazmir (5-1, 1.22 ERA) continued his winning ways by blanking Chicago Saturday as a $1.50 home favorite, 2-0. The five-year veteran went seven innings, yielding just three hits with three walks and six strikeouts.

-The two runs never seriously threatened the 7 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 4-1 his last five outings.

-Kazmir beat the Rangers May 26 as a $2.00 home ‘chalk,’ 7-3, going seven innings while surrendering one run on three hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts. The combined 10 runs eclipsed the 8 ½-run closing total.

-Texas gives the starting assignment to Vicente Padilla, hoping the right-hander can improve on his 7-2 record and 3.67 ERA.

-The Nicaragua native beat the Rays in his last start May 27 as a $1.35 road underdog, 12-6. In six innings, the 30-year-old was reached for five runs on seven hits (two home runs) with four walks and 10 strikeouts.

-The combined 18 runs obliterated the nine-run closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 3-1 his last four starts.

**Angels (Lackey) at Athletics (Blanton)**

-The Stratosphere opened Los Angeles as a $1.25 road favorite over Oakland, with the total listed at 7 ½. This AL West contest is scheduled to start at 10:05 p.m. ET.

-Los Angeles righty John Lackey (1-1, 1.80 ERA) toes the rubber after picking up a no-decision in Saturday’s effort against Toronto. The Texas native went eight innings, yielding two runs (one earned) on six hits (one home run) with a walk and seven strikeouts.

-The Angels eventually prevailed as a $1.40 home favorite, 3-2, while the combined five runs went ‘under’ the 7 ½-run closing total. The ‘under’ has cashed in all four of his starts this season.

-Lackey went 3-1 against the Athletics last season in five starts, going a combined 33 2/3 innings while surrendering 10 runs on 33 hits (two home runs) with eight walks and 24 strikeouts. The Angels prevailed as a $1.35 home ‘chalk,’ 2-1, a $1.75 home favorite, 7-6, a road ‘pick,’ 4-3, and as a $1.00 road selection, 2-0, while losing as a $1.10 road underdog, 3-0. The ‘under’ went 4-1 during those five games.

-Oakland’s Joe Blanton (3-7, 4.27 ERA) is off Saturday’s setback to Texas as a road ‘pick,’ 8-4, going six innings while getting tagged for six runs on 10 hits (one home run) with a walk and no strikeouts.

-The combined 12 runs eclipsed the 10-run closing total, helping the ‘over’ cash his third straight start.

-The former Kentucky Wildcat went 3-0 against the Angels last year in four starts, going a combined 26 1/3 innings while surrendering nine runs on 30 hits with five walks and eight strikeouts. The A’s triumphed as a $1.37 road underdog, 2-1, as a $1.27 home ‘dog, 2-1, and as a $1.30 road ‘dog, 6-2, while falling as a $1.65 road ‘dog, 7-6. The ‘under’ went 3-1 during those four outings.

Brad Young can be reached at byoung@vegasinsider.com.