(My Sportsbook) - After winning a crucial series on the road over the weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers return to the friendly confines of Chavez Ravine today to begin a three-game set with the San Diego Padres.

Los Angeles closed the gap on first-place Arizona in the National League West race by taking two of three matchups from the Diamondbacks at Chase Field, including an impressive 8-1 triumph in Sunday's finale.

The Dodgers put up four first-inning runs on Arizona ace Brandon Webb, with both Andre Ethier and Casey Blake homering during the frame. Blake's blast was a three-run shot that gave LA a quick 4-0 lead.

Ethier finished 2-for-5 with two RBI and James Loney had three hits for Los Angeles, which also received six shutout innings from starting pitcher Derek Lowe.

Lowe (11-11) yielded just four hits and one walk before being taken out after just 80 pitches, with the Dodgers holding a comfortable 8-0 advantage.

The victory moved Los Angeles within 2 1/2 games of the Diamondbacks in the division standings.

Greg Maddux gets the pitching assignment for the Dodgers in today's opener and will be facing the team he spent the majority of this season with. The future Hall of Famer was traded from the non-contending Padres to Los Angeles on August 19.

Maddux has yet to win since the deal, losing back-to-back starts at Philadelphia and Washington in which he allowed 11 runs (9 earned) and 17 hits over a combined 11 innings of work.

The 42-year-old, whose 353 career victories are one shy of tying Roger Clemens for eighth place on baseball's all-time list, is 24-15 with a 3.00 earned run average in 44 career starts against San Diego.

For the Padres, Chris Young is expected to make his first start since August 10 tonight. The towering right-hander has been sidelined the last three weeks with a strained right forearm.

Injuries have plagued Young throughout this campaign, as he also missed two months with a broken nose. He's made just 13 starts this year and is 4-4 with a 4.74 ERA.

In his most recent time out, Young was tagged for seven runs in a four-inning no-decision at Colorado.

The 29-year-old is 1-3 with a 3.74 ERA over 10 career starts against Los Angeles, including an April 12 loss at Dodger Stadium in which he surrendered seven runs (6 earned) in three innings.

San Diego hits the road after a successful homestand in which the club won five times in six games. The last two victories came at the expense of Colorado, including Sunday's 2-1 decision.

Luis Rodriguez drove in both San Diego runs, including the game-winner on a single with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Padres starter Jake Peavy was nearly unhittable in his eight innings, as the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner struck out a season-high 13 and scattered five hits and no runs. However, Trevor Hoffman (3-6) cost Peavy a win by failing to protect a 1-0 lead in the top of the ninth.

Hoffman was credited with the victory after Rodriguez delivered in the bottom of the frame.

San Diego owns a slim 5-4 edge in this year's season series with the Dodgers and took two of three from its division rival in Los Angeles from April 11-13.