LOS ANGELES — It was touted as the biggest series of the month. It was billed as a potential passing of the torch, with the San Diego Padres threatening to win the National League West for the first time in 19 years. Instead, Sunday’s finale ended in a three-game sweep — and a relatively convincing one, at that.

Mookie Betts hits a tiebreaking solo homer in the eighth inning, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 5-4 on Sunday.

The Padres president of baseball operations was talking about the good Dylan Cease, the man capable of shutting down teams and throwing no-hitters. That is not who climbed the mound in the first inning Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles is now two games up in the standings, with a 71-53 record. The Dodgers are on the road for a four game series at Colorado, before these two teams meet up again next weekend, this time in San Diego. The Padres are now 69-55, and will start a four game series against the Giants on Monday.

Then Betts rescued the Dodgers with the 394-foot shot to left-center off Robert Suarez. It was the shortstop’s 13th homer of the season and just his fifth since June. Betts had 25 in 2022 and 39 in 2023.

The Los Angeles Dodgers reasserted themselves in the National League West this weekend, and Mookie Betts was a huge cause of that success.

Dodgers fans still haven't forgiven Manny Machado for leaving Los Angeles to sign with the Padres, but they ultimately got the last laugh on Sunday, as Machado struck out against Alex Vesia to end the series and secure a sweep for the Dodgers.

Preview the Aug. 17 matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres with odds over/under, game spread, betting lines and more.