NL WEST The Diamondbacks charged out of the box, winning 17 of their first 23 games and building a 6.5 game lead before the end of April. But since the beginning of May, Arizona has been below .500, with a 47-52 record. But the Dodgers have been lurking. Since the beginning of July, LA has been no more than three games behind the leaders. But every time the Dodgers have made a charge, the Diamondbacks have rallied. LA has held a share of first with Arizona for nine days since July 1, but they have yet to claim the lead by themselves. Arizona sits in first because they’re the neighborhood bully. That is, they’ve killed their Western division opponents this year, winning 34 out of 50 games. No other Western Division team owns a .500 record against their rivals. But Arizona’s strong record against their division means they’re less than stellar (27-35) against the East and Central. Good thing for them that after this weekend’s series against the Marlins, the only time the Diamondbacks venture outside their division is that seven game home and home against the Cardinals. The Dodgers on the other hand have a 36-28 record against the East and Central combined and are just 24-24 against the West. The Dodgers begin an East Coast swing this weekend with four against the Phillies and three against the lowly Nationals before playing their final three games in Arizona. They also have four games at Pittsburgh in the middle of September. This truly has the makings of a classic. For one thing, the silly Wild Card consolation prize isn’t in the mix. The winner plays in October, the loser goes home. Then there are the trades both teams made to add punch to their lineups: LA got Manny. Arizona countered with Adam Dunn. Both teams have excellent starting pitching: Arizona’s starters have a 3.86 ERA and LA’s starters own a 3.96 ERA. This could be the best race of the bunch. Potential Spoiler - Padres While San Diego has only three games remaining against the Diamondbacks, they have nine games left against Dodgers and owns a 5-4 advantage over LA so far this season. Circle Your Calendar - September 5-7 The final three games between Arizona and LA. The Diamondbacks visit Chavez Ravine, where the Dodgers have a 39-30 home record. --

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