Worth noting

• The Pirates would clinch the series with a win Saturday. The Dodgers have won six straight sets against Pittsburgh. Los Angeles has the best winning percentage against the Bucs of any team in the National League dating back to 2001.

• Mattingly said watching Friday's game from the pressbox while serving his one-game suspension was difficult because he's always thinking like a manager when seeing the game play out on the field.

"You can't help that," he said.

• Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell dropped his appeal of his two game suspension resulting from Tuesday's scrum with the D-backs. He pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh Friday, and will begin his suspension Saturday.

• The Dodgers claimed catcher John Baker off waivers Saturday and optioned him to Triple-A Albuquerque. The 32-year-old had six hits in 46 at-bats for the Padres this season, appearing in 16 games.