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Padres keep beating Dodgers' Kershaw

SAN DIEGO -- Bud Black calls Clayton Kershaw one of the three top pitchers in baseball. Against Black's San Diego Padres, though, Kershaw has been anything but the best.

Chris Denorfia set the tone early, hitting a home run off Kershaw, and Chase Headley added a two-run triple as the Padres defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2 on Friday night before an announced crowd of 31,844 at Petco Park.

In addition to extending their winning streak to eight games at Petco, the Padres (38-36) beat Kershaw for the third time this season and won for the fourth consecutive time they've faced him.

"They are battlers," Kershaw said. "You have to give them some credit. They have a good game plan and make me make adjustments, which is what I thought I was doing. They beat me tonight, fair and square. There's not much you can say about it."

Kershaw (5-5), winless in his last six starts, allowed four runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts and one walk in six innings. He gave up a solo home run to Denorfia, who went 2-for-2 with a walk and two RBIs, in the first and three in the third, including Headley's RBI triple.

"I think we're throwing the whole lineup against him," Headley said of the Padres' success against Kershaw. "We've had good at-bats against him. That's what it takes against someone that good. Fortunately, we've been able to get to him a little bit, more than a lot of people do.

"We've beat him a few times, but we definitely haven't beat up on him. We've been able to scratch a few runs across and maybe do a little more than some other teams have done."

Reliever Tim Stauffer (1-0) limited the Dodgers, who lost for the ninth time in the last 12 outings, to one run and four hits in four innings for the victory. Stauffer was forced to take over from starter Clayton Richard, who left the game after throwing only two pitches.

Richard was diagnosed with pain in the left arcomioclavical joint, but the left-handed pitcher will receive a closer evaluation Saturday. Black said it was certain Richard was headed to the disabled list.

"I had some discomfort this week, but I was hoping I would be able to get through it," Richard said. "Unfortunately, I tried to get going but wasn't able to go. Fortunately, Tim and Tyson (Ross) really picked up the slack and they did awesome."

Stauffer came in and struck out four and walked two. Ross allowed two hits and two walks in three scoreless innings. Closer Huston Street retired the side in order in the ninth for his 15th save.

After Stauffer replaced Richard, he immediately pitched himself into a jam. He gave up singles to Mark Ellis and Yasiel Puig to lead off the game and walked Hanley Ramirez to load the bases. Juan Uribe's groundout scored Ellis for a 1-0 Dodgers lead, but Stauffer kept the damage to a minimum by retiring catcher A.J. Ellis to end the inning.

Denorfia drove a 3-2 pitch into the seats in left with one out in the bottom of the inning for his fifth home run, his second this season off Kershaw, to tie the score at 1.

The Padres, who are a National League-best 13-7 in June, added three runs in the third off Kershaw. Headley, who entered the game hitting .167 this month, tripled to left, scoring Logan Forsythe and Denorfia with one out before Kyle Blanks singled to center to score Headley for a 4-1 advantage.

The Padres added a run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Denorfia.

Puig, who went 2-for-4, scored on an RBI double in the eighth by Hanley Ramirez for LA's other run.

NOTES: Dodgers CF Matt Kemp will begin a rehab assignment Saturday as a designated hitter at Triple-A Albuquerque. Kemp will play at least three games there before returning to L.A., manager Don Mattingly said. Kemp has been on the disabled list since May 30 with a strained right hamstring. ... Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke will make his first start Saturday in San Diego since Padres LF Carlos Quentin charged him and broke his collarbone in the bench-clearing brawl between the two clubs in April. Greinke has a 1-0 record with a 3.27 ERA in two career starts against the Padres. ... Quentin took batting practice Friday for the first time since injuring his left shoulder almost a week ago. His return date remains unknown. Quentin has missed seven consecutive games. ... Dodgers OF Andre Ethier had a sore left knee and did not start. He pinch hit in the seventh and grounded into a double play.