Dodgers rally to beat Padres, at least a share of NL West lead

SAN DIEGO — The Los Angeles Dodgers erased a two-game skid and left Petco Park with at least a share of first place in the National League West Sunday, rallying for an 8-2 victory over the San Diego Padres after being held to five hits in the first two games of the series. The comeback came as both teams prepare for the final month of the regular season with 31 games remaining and with no further regular-season meetings scheduled between them.

The Dodgers’ offense, which had produced just two runs and five hits through Friday and Saturday, came alive late. Dalton Rushing, making a rare appearance in the lineup, provided the decisive blow with a three-run homer in a five-run seventh inning. Freddie Freeman hit two home runs, including a go-ahead shot in the seventh, and Shohei Ohtani capped the scoring with his 45th homer in the ninth. The outburst produced nine hits and four walks for Los Angeles after back-to-back frustrating losses.

The weekend began badly for the Dodgers. A 5-1 loss Saturday featured Nestor Cortes retiring the first 16 Dodgers batters and working into the sixth inning before Miguel Rojas’ single ended the no-hit bid. Friday’s 2-1 defeat also saw Los Angeles...