After beating the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish was given his flowers from teammates for a 2-1 win against the Padres' rival on Friday. Darvish threw for six innings, surrendering the game's only earned run off of one hit, and struck out five to improve to 3-3 on the season. The victory also ties San Diego with Los Angeles atop the NL West standings.

After the win, Darvish addressed the magnitude of beating the Dodgers with the rivalry, and No. 1 in the NL West division on the line.

“You go into the game with intensity. This is what everybody wants towards the end of the season,” Darvish said. “San Diego versus the Dodgers is a great matchup. So yeah, a lot of good energy out there.”

Does it game like this get your juices flowing?

“Yeah. It does,” Darvish replied. “Not just this game but every game.”

And leading the Padres to victory at Petco Park adds to the thrill of victory on Friday.

“It's electric,” Darvish said. “I've been to many stadiums, and there have been a lot of good stadiums, too. But just how supportive and loud this stadium is, you receive that energy and that power from the fans.”

The Padres will host the Dodgers again on Saturday before closing out their three-game series on Sunday.

Manny Machado on Yu Darvish after Padres win

Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish (11) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park
David Frerker-USA TODAY Sports

After a three-game sweep last weekend, the Dodgers won the season series against the Padres. Now, the Padres will look to avenge that sweep and take a lead in the NL West division at Petco Park. After the win, third baseman Manny Machado gushed over Darvish's strong start on Friday.

“It's a relationship we have built so well. For me to see him come back like how he pitched today, that was the best I have seen him pitch,” Machado said to reporters after the game, about Darvish.

After missing most of the 2025 MLB season due to a shoulder injury, Darvish returned to the mound and didn't disappoint, delivering a gem of a performance in his first game back.

“It feels good to be back,” Darvish said through an interpreter in July following his first start, per MLB.com. “I was a little bit nervous going back in there. … I was a little bit amped up — more than usual.”

The Padres will take on the Dodgers at 4:10 EST on Saturday.

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