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LOS ANGELES -- The National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers open a three-game series Friday against the visiting San Diego Padres as they attempt to keep the San Francisco Giants at bay heading into the stretch run.The Dodgers (74-59) hold a two-game lead over the Giants (72-60), who dropped a 5-4 decision to the Chicago Cubs to open a four-game set on Thursday. The Dodgers, who begin a six-game homestand, were off Thursday.Despite numerous injuries, Los Angeles has ridden its core of young players to remain in first place.Shortstop Corey Seager (.315, 23 home runs and 62 RBI), who is the likely leader for NL Rookie of the Year honors, has been one of the clubs top performers. However, rookie outfielder Andrew Toles shined Wednesday, drilling a go-ahead grand slam in a 10-8 victory over the Colorado Rockies and preventing Los Angeles from being on the wrong end of a three-game sweep.Rookie Julio Urias (5-2, 3.71 ERA) will vie for his fifth straight decision as he faces the Padres for the first time in the series opener. The 20-year-old Urias has been solid since the All-Star break, posting a 4-0 mark with a 2.03 ERA in his last six games (four starts).I think the thing thats stood out to me the most with Julio has been his composure, said Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers president of baseball operations. We saw it early on. Its one of those things we thought we knew coming into the year but you dont really know it until someone competes at the major-league level and goes through the inevitable ups and downs.Just watching how he processed some of his hardships early on and the aptitude that he showed in his side work with (pitching coach Rick Honeycutt) and taking it into the game and watching how he competes inning to inning and start to start has been something.In his last start in a win over the Cubs on Saturday, Urias allowed a run on six hits and tied a season-high with eight punch-outs in six innings.Clayton Richard (1-3, 3.51 ERA) will oppose Urias in a matchup of southpaws. Richard, who the Padres re-signed after being released by the Cubs in August, is 1-2 with a 1.40 ERA in three starts (five games) with San Diego.Richard worked seven scoreless innings and scattered eight hits against Miami last Saturday. One of his losses though occurred in relief for the Cubs against the Dodgers on May 31 when he surrendered two runs on three hits and failed to retire a batter.Richard has a 6-4 record with a 3.84 ERA in 18 career games (16 starts) for San Diego against Los Angeles.The Padres (55-78), who reside in last in the West, were handed a three-game sweep Thursday by the Atlanta Braves. A strong September would help soothe another painful campaign, manager Andy Green said.I want to see guys finish strong, Green told MLB.com. I want to see us get better at the fine details of the game, execute things that we know we can do well. David Justice Jersey Braves . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. Craig Kimbrel Jersey Red Sox .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. https://www.discountjerseysonline.com/hector-velazquez-jersey-red-sox-770 .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Anthony Rizzo Jersey Cubs . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Moises Alou Jersey Cubs . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. DALLAS -- When the Denver Nuggets visit the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, they will try do something theyve done just once this season -- win two games in a row.That came nearly four weeks ago. Since the Nuggets longest win streak of the season -- if streak even applies for just two consecutive wins -- theyve gone 3-7.But after Saturdays 121-113 win at Orlando, Denver (9-15) is looking at the prospect of going on a mini-hot streak with this game against Dallas followed by a three-game homestand against the Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks and the Mavs again.Denver also comes to Dallas (5-18) with point guard Emmanuel Mudiay having returned to the lineup on Saturday at Orlando. He played 22 minutes after missing one game with a right ankle sprain.If the Nuggets took away a lesson from their win at Orlando, it might be how to remain calm in the fourth quarter and not let adversity get the best of them. Denver has been a poor fourth-quarter team this season, but this time managed to withstand a charge and hold on.I think the key to the game was -- yes, we lost the lead -- we didnt lose our heads, Nuggets coach Mike Malone told reporters after the game. We were poised, we were composed and we executed and got stops. The fact of the matter is if you want to win games on the road, thats what you need to do.Denver can also take a lesson from several teams that recently came to Dallas believing they could continue momentum against a struggling team. But the Chicago Bulls got blown out the night after beating Cleveland, and the Indiana Pacers were left flat-footed in the second half of a loss at Dallas on Friday night.Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari turned in one of his best games of the season with 21 points, including going 2 of 3 frrom beyond the arc and getting to the free throw line 10 times for nine points.ddddddddddddThats what I need to do every game, Gallinari said. The more Im aggressive, the more I can make things happen for everybody else.The Mavs are coming off a shellacking at Houston on Saturday and are 2-5 in their last seven games with five losses coming by an average margin of 15.6 points. They got off to another slow start against James Harden and the Rockets and could never recover.You know, its real tough when you have a night like (Friday) night and you put things together and you can propel, Barnes told reporters after the 109-87 loss at Houston. And then 24 hours later, its another slow start. For three quarters, we played decent basketball. But when you start off that way, its hard to get one.Dallas has had issues with slow starts all season. The Mavs gave up 36 points in the first quarter at Houston, forcing them to play from behind throughout.Its tough giving up 36 points, Matthews told reporters after the game. We fought, we fought back, but we just couldnt get over the hump.Dallas will again be without starters forward Dirk Nowitzki (right Achilles strain) and center Andrew Bogut (right knee), plus reserve guard J.J. Barea (left calf strain).Dallas is getting the bulk of its offense from shooting guard Wesley Matthews and forward Harrison Barnes. Matthews has made at least four 3-pointers in each of the last eight games, including 25 in the last five games, and Barnes leads the team in scoring at 20.6 points per game.The Mavs are desperate to get wins at home with seven of their next 11 games coming on the road. ' ' '