The Los Angeles Dodgers officially have a new rival out west.
Friday's Dodgers-Padres clash was a tense, emotional roller-coaster that somehow felt like it had the gravity of a playoff game in mid-April. The defending World Series champs prevailed 11-6 in a thrilling 12-inning marathon that stretched past midnight Saturday morning in San Diego.
Buckle up, because we've got 18 more matchups between these star-studded teams this season.
Dodgers-Padres had everything
This one had every ingredient needed to ratchet up the drama. A star player returning from injury. A lively Petco Park crowd at a maximum limited capacity of 15,250.