WASHINGTON(AP) -- Matt Kemp and the Los Angeles Dodgers are
avoiding the temptation to ponder magic numbers and possible
postseason scenarios.

The Washington Nationals, a defeat away from a dubious
milestone, are weary of constantly rehashing losses.

Rafael Furcal drove in four runs, Hiroki Kuroda allowed four
hits over six innings and the Dodgers had two big innings in a
14-2 romp Tuesday night, the Nationals' 99th loss of the season.

The Dodgers' sixth win in seven games lowered their magic number
for clinching a postseason berth to three. Los Angeles would win
its second straight NL West title for the first time since
1977-78 with any combination of Dodger wins and Colorado losses
totaling seven.

"I ain't worrying about that. When it happens, it happens," said
Kemp, who had two RBIs. "When I come in here and see all the
little covers (over lockers) so we can pour some champagne,
that's when I'll worry about pouring some champagne. Until then,
we've got work to do."

The Dodgers twice sent 11 men to the plate in an inning.

Kuroda (8-6) won his third straight start. He allowed no earned
runs, walked two and struck out six.

"Once (Kuroda) got the lead, I thought he threw a lot more
strikes and seemed a lot more comfortable," Dodgers manager Joe
Torre said. "We were going to send him out there for the
seventh, but it was such a long inning we decided to take him
out."

Furcal and James Loney drove in two runs each in a seven-run
fourth, erasing a 2-1 deficit. Casey Blake hit a two-run homer
and Furcal added two more RBIs in a six-run seventh.

"That's what winning games is about: coming up with big hits
like guys did. ... When we struggle, it's when we don't get
those key hits. This is what this team is capable of doing, but
we don't always do it," Blake said.

Adam Dunn homered for Washington, which has dropped three
straight and six of seven. Washington has lost the most games in
the majors and its next setback will secure a second consecutive
100-loss season.

"I haven't even paid any attention to it," said outfielder
Willie Harris, a member of last year's team that went 59-102.
"The way we played at the beginning of the season was not good
(and) the last couple of road trips haven't been well. A hundred
losses, they get up on you quick. No one here wants to lose 100
games."

Manny Ramirez gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the third with a
two-out RBI double.

An error by shortstop Furcal helped the Nationals take a 2-1
lead in the bottom of the inning. Ryan Zimmerman reached when
Furcal booted his two-out grounder and Dunn followed with his
38th homer, a shot into the right-field bullpen.

The Dodgers exploited two errors in a seven-run fourth, knocking
Nationals starter Livan Hernandez from the game.

Consecutive singles by Loney, Blake and Ronnie Belliard tied the
game, and the runners moved up when center fielder Harris
misplayed Belliard's hit. Russell Martin was intentionally
walked to load the bases and, after Kuroda fouled out, Furcal
drove in two runs with a single to left. Left fielder Josh
Willingham's wild throw home allowed both runners to advance and
Martin scored on Andre Ethier's groundout.

After Ramirez was walked, Kemp singled to center, extending his
hitting streak to 13 games, giving Los Angeles a 6-2 lead and
chasing Hernandez (8-12). The right-hander allowed eight runs
and eight hits and walked four in 3 2-3 innings.

"You make a mistake and they hit you," Hernandez said. "The ball
was running all over the place."

Marco Estrada relieved and yielded Loney's two-run double to
right-center, his second hit of the inning.

In the seventh, Blake hit a two-run homer off Saul Rivera,
Furcal drove in two with a bases-loaded single off Victor
Garate, and Zack Segovia allowed a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter
Jason Repko and Kemp's run-scoring fielder's choice.

NOTES: The Dodgers' 14 runs were the most scored by an opponent
at Nationals Park this season. ... Hernandez is 1-7 in his last
10 starts. ... Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw, who had been out
with right shoulder injury, worked the final two innings,
striking out four. Kershaw is on target to start Sunday's game
at Pittsburgh, manager Joe Torre said. ... C Wil Nieves tested
his strained left hamstring by throwing, blocking balls and
swinging a bat before Tuesday's game, but Nationals interim
manager Jim Riggleman said he is still "a day or two away" from
playing.