Resurgent Padres atop NL West ahead of 3-game series at rival Dodgers beginning Friday night

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — At the outset of play on July 4, the San Diego Padres were coming off a 2-4 trip through Cincinnati and Philadelphia and trailed the Los Angeles Dodgers by nine games in the National League West.

On Friday night, the Padres and Dodgers open a three-game series at Los Angeles with San Diego atop the division.

The Padres completed a three-game sweep of the host San Francisco Giants on Wednesday with an 11-1 romp that extended their winning streak to five games. The Padres (69-52) also have won five straight series and are 23-12 since Independence Day.

The Dodgers (68-53) lost 6-5 to the Los Angeles Angels. The reigning World Series champions have dropped four in a row.

“We’ve played a lot of really good baseball,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “Pitching’s been good, defense, baserunning. I’ve been really pleased the last week or so about the offense dictating the game.”

San Diego took control Wednesday with a seven-run second inning. Fernando Tatis Jr. contributed a two-run single.

“We’re going out there confident every single day, playing good baseball, clean baseball — and that’s what we’re capable of doing,” said Tatis, who had two hits, two walks and drove in three runs.

The Padres and Dodgers have met in the NL Division Series three times in the past five seasons, with LA winning in 2020 and ’24 and San Diego prevailing in ’22. Considering that history, Tatis said it’s hard to overstate the importance of this weekend’s series, even if it is only mid-August.

“It’s huge. That’s what we’re playing for,” Tatis said. “It’s in our hands, how much we want it.”

Barely more than a month ago, the Padres weren’t particularly concerned with the division race.

“We played some bad baseball around that time, so we weren’t really looking up at that point,” third baseman Manny Machado said. “We were just trying to get back in the win column.”

The Padres revamped their roster at the trade deadline, adding — most notably — outfielder Ramón Laureano and All-Star designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn from the Orioles, catcher Freddy Fermin from the Royals, left-hander Nestor Cortes from the Brewers and reliever Mason Miller from the Athletics.

“Every player that has come in has contributed in a really big (way). They’re a really big part of this team,” Tatis said.

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Laureano went 3 for 4 with a two-run homer Wednesday. He has gone 15 for 45 (.333) with San Diego. Fermin is 11 for 31 (.355) with the Padres.

And this weekend, the Padres — new and old — take on their Southern California rivals with first place in the NL West at stake.

“Clearly, it’s a series people are going to be paying attention to,” Shildt said, “and we’re just going to play good, clean, fundamental Padre baseball.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB