Sizzling Padres Poised for Statement Series Against Dodgers

For much of the last decade, the Los Angeles Dodgers have established a healthy gap between themselves and the rest of the National League West. They've won seven consecutive division crowns, and claimed last year's NL West title with a 21-game cushion.

The San Diego Padres, meanwhile, haven't qualified for the playoffs since 2006 and have finished no closer than 16 games behind their Southern California rivals during Los Angeles' dominant divisional run.

But with two weeks to go in the regular season, the Padres are just 2.5 games behind the Dodgers after sweeping the Giants in a Sunday doubleheader to extend their winning streak to seven games. And with a three-game series between the teams…