Kemp Goes 1 For 4 As Dodgers Fall To Padres 3-0

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Matt Kemp's pursuit of the Triple Crown took a hit when Aaron Harang threw eight sharp innings to lead the San Diego Padres to a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.

Kemp leads the NL with 119 RBIs and is tied for lead with 37 homers. But he went 1 for 4 to drop his batting average to .325, falling six points behind league leader Ryan Braun of Milwaukee at .331. New York's Jose Reyes is second at .330.

With just four games remaining, Kemp is trying to become the majors' first player to achieve the Triple Crown since Boston's Carl Yastrzemski in 1967, and the first in the National League since Ducky Medwick of St. Louis in 1937.

Kemp also is trying to become the fifth player in major league history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season.

Kemp singled in the first inning, then went hitless in his final three at-bats, including bouncing into a game-ending double play.

Heath Bell pitched the ninth for his 42nd save in 47 chances, completing a four-hitter for the Padres' ninth shutout of the season.

Harang (14-7) retired 21 of his final 22 batters and allowed just one runner to reach second base. He struck out five and walked none in possibly his final game with the Padres.

The right-hander, a San Diego native, signed a one-year contract in the offseason and has a mutual option for the 2012 season for $5 million.

Los Angeles rookies Jerry Sands and Dee Gordon extended their career-high hitting streaks to 12 and 11 games, respectively.

Rookie shortstop Andy Parrino made two consecutive stellar defensive plays behind Harang in the seventh inning, robbing the Dodgers of hits.

Chad Billingsley (11-11) allowed three runs and four hits in six innings for Los Angeles. The right-hander struck out four and walked three.

Will Venable put the Padres ahead with a two-out RBI single in the fifth inning. Orlando Hudson followed with another run-scoring single and San Diego also scored on catcher Tim Federowicz's error on an errant throw.

NOTES: The Dodgers lost for just the ninth time in 30 games. ... The Padres raised their record against Los Angeles to 5-12. ... Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (20-5, 2.27 ERA) will make his final start of the season Sunday. LHP Corey Luebke (6-9, 3.23) will start for San Diego in the series finale.

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