This is why the Padres were fine with Yu Darvish missing so much of the season.

This is how the Padres play.

This went better for the Padres than when they played the Dodgers last week in Los Angeles.

The teams are again tied atop the National League West after the Padres’ 2-1 victory on Friday night at Petco Park.

The win was built by small ball, enabled by a 39-year-old pitcher with a balky elbow and saved by an excellent defensive by one of the Padres’ two closers and a literal save by the other.

The Padres scored their two runs in the fourth inning on a walk, a sacrifice bunt, two singles, a runner going first to third and a sacrifice fly.

Darvish allowed the Dodgers one hit — a solo home run — over six innings in his ninth start of the season. It was with an eye toward games lik

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