Dodgers draw even with Giants

That eight-game lead San Francisco held in the National League West on June 26?

Gone.

The Dodgers caught the Giants in the NL West standings last night, drilling the Phillies while the Giants were getting blanked in Miami.

The Dodgers have made a run for a fourth consecutive NL West title with a power surge led by Justin Turner (21), Cory Seager (21) and Yasmani Grandal (18) and with a pitching staff patched together with medical tape.

Ace Clayton Kershaw is still on the DL and may be there for the rest of the season. However, Kenta Maeda (11-7), Scott Kazmir (9-5), Julio Urias (2-2), Brandon McCarthy (2-2), Bud Norris (3-2) and Ross Stripling (3-3) have been pitching well enough to get to L.A.’s bullpen, which has been lights out.

Adam Liberatore (1.62 ERA), Joe Blanton (2.64 ERA), Pedro Baez (2.67 ERA) and Kenley Jansen (1.29 ERA, 34 saves) have anchored one of the best pens in baseball.

The Dodgers acquired Rich Hill (9-3, 2.25 ERA) from Oakland and hope his blister issues allow him to make his first start this week.

Last year, the Dodgers had a pair of aces in Kershaw and Greinke and exited the playoffs before you could get a hot dog.

This year, the Dodger pitching is more of a committee effort. Starters that go more than five innings are becoming a rarity.

In 2016, it’s the offense that has carried Los Angeles. As a team, the Dodgers are hitting .273 since the break, best in the National League. Since the All-Star break, the Dodgers have pounded out 32 homeruns, two less than the St. Louis Cardinals, who lead the National League.