What happened: The Los Angeles Dodgers sit at 58-31, the lone team in the NL West with a winning record, and hold a 14-game lead in the division. They are on pace to take the NL West by 25 games, which would be a
Why it matters: The division race has effectively become a runaway, with Los Angeles standing alone as the NL West's only winning team. Second-place San Diego has dropped a 500 for the first time since April 7, widening a gap that already looks decisive at the season's halfway point.
By the numbers: Los Angeles is 58-31, scoring 5.4 runs per game while allowing 3.5, and has taken four of its last five overall. San Diego is 43-44, scoring 3.9 runs per game while allowing 4.4, amid a seven-game losing streak. The Dodgers lead the season series with the Padres 4-1, including a 15-3 result on June 27 and a 12-7 result on July 2.
What to watch: The two clubs meet again at Dodger Stadium, where San Diego will try to snap its seven-game skid before the division deficit grows any deeper.