BOTTOM LINE: The San Diego Padres begin a three-game series at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. San Diego is 72-56 overall and 41-21 at home. The Padres have the best team ERA in the NL at 3.56.

With Teoscar Hernández struggling defensively and Michael Conforto being a liability on offense, the Dodgers are exploring their outfield options.

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.

Warming Bernabel hit a game-winning single in the ninth inning as the Colorado Rockies rally to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 on Monday night.

Smith led all NL hitters with a .304 average going into Thursday’s games, but Trea Turner, teammate Freeman and Xavier Edwards are all close behind. It’s familiar territory for Freeman.

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.

After three straight hits to open the third, the Dodgers tied it at 1 when Shohei Ohtani grounded into a fielder's choice to second that scored Michael Conforto. Betts' sacrifice fly scored Alex Freeland before Ohtani was caught stealing to end the inning. Hernández homered 400 feet to center off Jeremiah Estrada in the seventh for a 3-1 lead.

City Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Ysabel Jurado spoke out against S.B. 71, which would exempt some public transportation projects from certain environmental regulations.

The Los Angeles Dodgers need to find a replacement for struggling outfielder Michael Conforto, and they just missed one of their best chances to do so.