As the month of July starts to wind down, the pennant races are beginning to heat up. Teams are approaching 100 games right now, meaning there are just over 60 matchups to go until the postseason. Monday’s schedule features six National League games and seven in the American League, so let’s break down a couple key contests.

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**Brewers (McClung) at Cardinals (Pineiro)**

-Caesars Palace installed St. Louis as a $1.20 home ‘chalk’ over Milwaukee, with the total set at nine ‘over’ (minus $1.20). ESPN will provide coverage of this National League Central contest beginning at 7:05 p.m. ET.

-Milwaukee right-hander Seth McClung (4-4, 4.39 ERA) has dropped back-to-back outings after a July 12 setback to Cincinnati as a $1.03 home underdog, 8-2. The 6-foot-6 hurler went 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits (one home run) with three walks and seven strikeouts.

-The combined 10 runs toppled the 8 ½-run closing total, ending a string that saw the ‘under’ cash in eight of his previous nine starts.

-McClung, in the league since 2003, has not started against the Cardinals the previous few seasons.

-St. Louis pitcher Joel Pineiro (3-4, 4.52 ERA) is off a July 13 no-decision against Pittsburgh. The Puerto Rico native went 5 2/3 innings, surrendering six runs on 10 hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

-The Cardinals eventually prevailed as a $1.10 road ‘chalk,’ 11-6, while the combined 17 runs eclipsed the 9 ½-point closing total. The ‘over’ has gone 3-1 his last four starts.

-The 29-year-old received a no-decision against the Brewers May 10 as a $1.60 road underdog. The right-hander was reached for two runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings.

-The Cardinals eventually prevailed, 5-3, while the combined eight runs slithered ‘under’ the 8 ½-run closing total.

**Cubs (Harden) at Diamondbacks (Johnson)**

-Caesars Palace opened Chicago as a $1.30 road favorite over Arizona, with the total listed at eight. This game is slated to start at 9:40 p.m. ET.

-Chicago’s Rich Harden gets his second start with the club after being traded from Oakland. The 26-year-old right-hander earned a no-decision against San Francisco July 12, tossing 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball on five hits with three walks and 10 strikeouts.

-The Cubs eventually prevailed in extra innings, 8-7, while the combined 15 runs eclipsed the 9 ½-run closing total. The ‘over’ is 2-0-1 his last three starts.

-Harden has not started against the Diamondbacks the past few years.

-Arizona southpaw Randy Johnson (6-7, 5.23 ERA) has recorded consecutive victories after upending Philadelphia July 12 as a $1.10 road underdog, 10-4. The veteran hurler went six innings, yielding four runs on five hits (two home runs) with a walk and three strikeouts.

-The combined 14 runs toppled the 9 1/2-run closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 4-2 his last six starts.

-Johnson, in the league since 1988, has not started against the Cubs the last few seasons.

**Twins (Blackburn) at Yankees (Ponson)**

-Caesars Palace lists New York as a $1.25 home ‘chalk’ over Minnesota, with the total set at 9 ½. This American League tilt is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. ET.

-Minnesota pitcher Nick Blackburn (7-5, 3.65 ERA) toes the rubber for the first time since July 13 when he lost to Detroit as a $1.32 road underdog, 4-2. The two-year veteran tossed seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits (one home run) with two walks and four strikeouts.

-The combined six runs failed to eclipse the nine-run closing total. The ‘over/under’ has alternated his last six starts.

-Blackburn notched a no-decision against the Yankees June 1, yielding one run on five hits (one home run) with three walks and three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. The Twins eventually won that contest as a $1.10 home underdog, 5-1. The combined six runs went ‘under’ the nine-run closing total.

-New York’s Sidney Ponson (5-1, 3.96 ERA) is off back-to-back no decisions after his July 9 matchup with Tampa Bay. The Aruba native went six innings, surrendering one run on five hits (one home run) with two walks and four strikeouts.

-The Yankees eventually prevailed as a $1.20 home favorite, 2-1, while the combined three runs never seriously threatened the 10 ½-run closing total. The ‘under’ has cashed in two of his last three starts.

-Ponson is 1-0 against the Twins this season in two starts, going a combined 14 1/3 innings while being reached for six runs (two earned) on 13 hits with two walks and nine strikeouts. The Yankees prevailed as a $1.40 road underdog, 10-1, while falling as a $1.08 home selection, 12-6. The ‘over’ cashed in both contests.

**Red Sox (Lester) at Mariners (Washburn)**

-Caesars Palace opened Boston as a $1.30 road favorite over Seattle, with the total listed at nine ‘under’ (minus $1.20). First pitch is slated for 10:10 p.m. ET.

-Boston left-hander Jon Lester (7-3, 3.38 ERA) picked up a no-decision in a July 8 matchup with Minnesota. The 6-foot-2 hurler was tagged for five runs on nine hits with three walks and six strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings.

-The Red Sox eventually prevailed as a $1.70 home ‘chalk,’ 6-5, while the combined 11 runs toppled the 9 ½-run closing total. Boston has won seven of Lester’s last eight starts.

-The three-year veteran received a no-decision against the Mariners last year after pitching five innings and yielding four runs on eight hits (one home run) with two walks and four strikeouts. The Red Sox eventually dropped that contest as a $1.10 road favorite, 7-4. The combined 11 runs went ‘over’ the 9 ½-run closing total.

-Seattle southpaw Jarrod Washburn (4-8, 4.88 ERA) is off a July 12 no-decision against Kansas City. The 33-year-old was reached for three runs (one earned) on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout over six innings.

-The Mariners eventually dropped that contest as a $1.20 road underdog, 5-4, while the combined nine runs slithered ‘over’ the 8 ½-run closing total. The ‘under’ had gone 6-0-1 his previous seven starts.

-Washburn picked up a no-decision against the Red Sox last season after tossing 6 1/3 innings while surrendering four runs on eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts. The Mariners eventually lost that game as a $1.30 home underdog, 4-3, while the combined seven runs went ‘under’ the 8 ½-run closing total.

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