The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers are deadlocked atop the NL West standings — at least until Saturday night’s outcome at Chavez Ravine provides a new leader. After a low-scoring series opener, two effective starters take the mound in Dylan Cease and Blake Snell.

The Dodgers are favored (-130 moneyline odds to win) when they take the field at home against the Padres (+109). The scheduled starters are Blake Snell (2-1) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Dylan Cease (5-10) for the San Diego Padres.

Clayton Kershaw provides six strong innings and the bullpen maintains the lead as the Dodgers open their most critical series of the season so far with a win.

Things sure have changed since the last time the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers clashed, back in June. The Dodgers were running away in the NL West then with a nine-game lead. The Padres were in third place.

Mookie Betts had a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the third inning, Teoscar Hernandez homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat San Diego 3-2 on Friday night to tie the Padres atop the NL West. After three straight hits to open the third,