With their three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers proved they are deeper and more focused than their budding NL West rivals.

YouTube The San Diego Padres walked into Dodger Stadium, on Friday, with a one-game lead in the NL West over the Los Angeles Dodgers. They left, on Sunday, two games behind the Dodgers after being swept over the weekend.

The Padres' de facto captain left the job of explaining a three-game series sweep in Los Angeles to his younger, less experienced teammates on Sunday.

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.

Betts’ eighth-inning home run breaks a 4-4 tie and completes the sweep with a 5-4 victory over the Padres. It also extends a hot streak born of a different approach.

Padres Swept by Dodgers After Gaining Control of NL West

On Friday morning, the Padres were in first place, having won 14 of their last 17 games, with an opportunity to put a little distance between themselves and the Goliath just up I-5. Instead, the Dodgers reminded us all who they are, sweeping the Padres and re-taking the NL West lead by two games.

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.