4:34 AM UTCLOS ANGELES — Start the countdown and put the bubbly on ice. The Dodgers are getting closer to winning the National League West for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons.Given their dominant stretch over the last two months, it’s been a matter of when, not if, the Dodgers will win the NL West. It hasn’t quite happened yet, but it’s all getting real following a 9-4 win over the Padres on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.Because the Dodgers locked up the season series against the Padres with their 10th win of the head-to-head matchup, Los Angeles’ magic number to win the division dropped from 12 to nine with the victory. The earliest they can clinch a postseason spot is Friday.“I didn’t realize it was nine,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “It was just a good series. Obviously, those guys are playing with a lot of urgency. It’s good to see us play well tonight, win a series. Still a lot of baseball, but I’m just encouraged.”Not only did the Dodgers move closer to reclaiming the NL West, but they did it in emphatic fashion. After dropping the first game of the series on Friday, the Dodgers made…
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Dodgers' magic number down to single digits – MLB.com
