SAN DIEGO —
The Dodgers weren’t in need of a “stopper” on Saturday, not after winning 13 of their last 16 games.
They weren’t facing anything close to a must-win situation, either, not with a 5½-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West standings.
Still, after dropping the series opener Friday against the Padres, and entering Saturday just 2-4 against their Southern California rivals on the season, the Dodgers did need a calming presence on the mound — a stabilizing force to set the tone in front of a record Petco Park crowd of 46,701.