SAN DIEGO —— The season is down to 33 games, and the Arizona Diamondbacks —— one of the teams biting at the Padres' heels in the National League West —— are in town Monday night for a three-game series.

It is one of 12 games the Padres have remaining against the Diamondbacks and the Dodgers.

"It's getting down to the end of the season, and both sides are looking to take control of this race," said Padres manager Bruce Bochy. "This is a very, very important series, and I think we'll play like it is.

"At times, I know, it looks like we play to the level of the competition. We have beaten some really good pitchers and lost to guys you think we would beat. It just goes to show that if the guy on the mound is on top of his game, it's going to be tough, no matter who it is."

Bochy is happy that his rotation finds veteran Woody Williams and staff ace Jake Peavy facing the Diamondbacks in the first two games of the series.

"Woody's the guy you want out there in an important game," Bochy said. "He's getting back on track, but more than that, he competes so well."

The Padres lead the NL West, but enter the Arizona series 64-65, the latest in a season a team with a sub-.500 record has led a division.

No team in a full season has ever won a division with a losing record. The worst division-winning records are the 1973 Mets, who were 82-79, the '97 Astros (84-78), the '84 Royals (84-78) and the '87 Twins (85-77).

Only eight times has only one team in a division finished above .500, the last was the '97 Indians (American League Central). The list includes the '84 Padres.

"This team has been puzzling," Bochy said. "We were really clicking, then we had a tough time scoring runs.

"We're a better hitting club than we've shown. But we lack power, so we have to string three or hits together to get a rally going. And that's not easy."

Roster moves

> Veteran right-hander Andy Ashby allowed a home run to the first batter he faced Saturday night in a rehab start at Triple-A Portland but allowed only one more hit over three innings. He said he feels great and is ready to help the club out of the bullpen when rosters expand Thursday.

> Bochy said he would like to get another right-handed bat in the lineup in time to face Arizona left-hander Brad Halsey on Wednesday. The top candidate is Portland outfielder Ben Johnson.

> Shortstop Khalil Greene will join Single-A Lake Elsinore on Tuesday in High Desert to test his broken left big toe. Greene will play one or two games and could be activated Wednesday.

Cheers for RBV

The crowd at Petco Park gave the Rancho Buena Little League All-Stars an extended ovation when the result of the third-pace game at the Little League World Series was shown.

"Those kids did one heck of a job," Bochy said. "They should be very proud of themselves."

The Padres will honor the team in a pregame ceremony Sept. 6.

Short hop

RHP Jake Peavy, who had two wisdom teeth on the right side of his mouth removed Friday, said he is feeling much better and sees no problem making his scheduled start Tuesday.

Contact staff writer John Maffei at (760) 740-3547 or jmaffei@nctimes.com.