Despite a red-hot San Diego Padres team gaining control of the NL West in recent days, they can't seem to shake the dominance that the Los Angeles Dodgers have over them.

They leaned on him as they toppled the Los Angeles Dodgers in their most significant postseason series in decades. They got him at his best. His three years there included his second Cy Young campaign before he left to tour with their California-based division mates.

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.