LOS ANGELES -- With first place on the line, the Dodgers stole bases and scored runs, but the starting pitching didn't pick up its side of the bargain.

The Dodgers and Padres came into Friday night's game deadlocked at the top of the National League West and after falling behind early in the game, the Dodgers almost sent the first game of the series into extra innings, but the Padres prevailed, 7-6, at Dodger Stadium.

With the tying run on second base, all-time Major League save record holder Trevor Hoffman got Luis Gonzalez to pop up to the catcher as the Padres held on to win the first game of the series to take sole possession first place in the division.

"We kept battling, but we just came up a little short," said manager Grady Little. "The six-spot we allowed early in the ballgame was too much to overcome against a ballclub like that."

The six runs that Little was referring to came in the fourth inning, when the Padres dialed in against the Dodgers' young lefty Hong-Chih Kuo. Kuo, who came into the game looking to right the ship after two consecutive rough outings, cruised through the first three innings allowing just one run.

However, the Padres jumped on him in the fourth getting three consecutive hits to lead off the inning. Then, with runners on first and second, Kuo left a fastball out over the plate to Padres third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, who drilled it into the right-field bleachers for a three-run homer.

"I didn't pitch good today," Kuo said. "I didn't make quality pitches after I got two strikes on guys. I just have to give a 100 percent and try to help the team win."

Kuo allowed seven runs (six earned) on six hits while walking three in just 3 1/3 innings. For Kuo, it was his third consecutive rough outing, creating a concern for Little.

"Well, we can count, and we'll see, because what he is doing right now in his last three starts is not good enough," Little said. "His biggest problem out there tonight was a few base on balls, and he was hitting too many bats."

The Padres on the other hand got a solid pitching performance from Chris Young, who went six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out nine.

The Dodgers jumped on the board first when Juan Pierre, who was 3-for-5 with a run scored, an RBI and three stolen bases, singled with one out in the first inning. Pierre then stole second and third before scoring on a groundout by Jeff Kent.

"It's all about getting on base and scoring runs," Pierre said. "[Young] is a big guy, so it's hard for him to be quick to the plate, so we were trying to put the pedal to the metal."

The Dodgers stole five bases in the game and led, 2-1, going into the fourth inning, but after the six-run rally by the Padres, they were forced to slow it down and try to produce the big inning.

With the score 7-2, the Dodgers scored three runs in the eighth to make it a game. Catcher Russell Martin led off with double, followed by a Kent single, which put runners on first and third with no outs. After Gonzalez grounded weakly to the pitcher, the Dodgers got RBI singles from Nomar Garciaparra, who had three hits in the game, and James Loney.

"We like what's going on with our hitters right now. They're swinging the bats good, they're not quitting and they know they have a chance to come back on anybody," Little said. "For Nomar to get those three hits is big for him, and we'd love to see him get it going."

In the ninth inning with Hoffman on the mound Rafael Furcal doubled and scored on a groundout by Martin, putting the Dodgers behind by just one run. Kent followed with a two-out double but Hoffman weathered the storm to pick up his 22nd save of the season.

"I'm probably the first guy in line, so for me it's a little frustrating," said Gonzalez of the missed scoring opportunities. "All these games count. We had a good series in Arizona, and we missed a good opportunity here."

The Dodgers are now a game back of the Padres and a half-game back of the D-backs in the NL West.