(Photo credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images)

The San Diego Padres will enter this weekend's series against the Los Angeles Dodgers just as they entered last weekend's series against their rivals -- fresh off three straight wins over the San Francisco Giants.

The Padres hope that's where history stops repeating itself.

One of the biggest rivalries in baseball will take center stage for the final time in the regular season Friday night, when the Padres host the Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series between the top two teams in the National League West.

Right-hander Yu Darvish (2-3, 5.97 ERA) is slated to start for the Padres against Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (3-1, 1.80).

The Dodgers enter the series with a one-game lead on the Padres after both teams recorded wins Thursday afternoon. San Diego beat the visiting Giants 8-4 to take a four-game series while Los Angeles salvaged a split of its four-game set with the host Colorado Rockies by earning a 9-5 victory.

This week's three straight wins over the Giants provided the Padres with a much-needed boost after they fell out of first place while enduring a three-game sweep by the Dodgers last weekend. San Diego entered that previous series with momentum following a sweep of San Francisco but led for just one inning in Los Angeles.

The Padres never led in a 4-3 loss to the Giants on Monday, but they gained a game on the Dodgers by outscoring San Francisco 21-6 over the next three days while Los Angeles won two of the final three against the Rockies, who have the worst record in baseball.

'We are aware of how we didn't put absolutely our best foot forward,' Padres manager Mike Shildt said Thursday, referring to the sweep in Los Angeles. 'We competed well. Just couldn't get on the good side of it.

'Really excited, can't wait for (Friday) night. I wish it was tonight.'

Anticipation over this weekend's series superseded any disappointment the Dodgers might have felt over failing to extend their division lead in Colorado. Los Angeles sandwiched an 11-4 win Tuesday between a 4-3 walk-off defeat Monday and an 8-3 loss Wednesday.

But the Dodgers scored in each of the first five innings Thursday to remain in sole possession of first place while reminding themselves of the advantage they've had thus far on the Padres. Los Angeles has already locked up the season series -- and the potential tiebreaker should the teams finish with the same record -- by winning eight of the first 10 games between the clubs.

'We've obviously played well against those guys this year,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. 'They're going to give us everything they have this weekend and we've got to be ready for it.'

Darvish and Snell both pitched last weekend in the series between the clubs. Darvish didn't factor into the decision Sunday, when he allowed four runs over four innings in the Padres' 5-4 loss. Snell earned the win last Saturday after tossing six scoreless innings to help Los Angeles to a 6-0 victory.

Darvish, who played part of the 2017 season for the Dodgers, is 5-5 with a 2.55 ERA in 16 regular season starts against Los Angeles. He also is 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA in three postseason starts versus his former club.

Snell, who pitched for the Padres from 2021 through 2023 and won the NL Cy Young in his final season with the club, is 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA against San Diego in two starts.

--Field Level Media