LOS ANGELES – Shea Hillenbrand hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning and a sacrifice fly in the 12th as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Washington Nationals 10-9 Wednesday and finish a three-game sweep.

James Loney drove in four runs for the Dodgers, who also got home runs from Russell Martin and Matt Kemp. Jeff Kent had four hits, including a leadoff single that started the winning rally.

Los Angeles, which won its fourth straight, began the day 41/2 games back of NL West-leading Arizona, the closest the Dodgers had been to first place in three weeks.

Washington wasted an 8-3 lead and lost its sixth straight game. Nook Logan drove in three runs for the Nationals and Ryan Church had four hits.

After Kent reached in the 12th, he took third on Martin’s double down the right-field line against Saul Rivera (4-5). Following an intentional walk to Loney, Hillenbrand flied out to right field and Kent barely avoided catcher Brian Schneider’s sweep tag with a headfirst slide.

Scott Proctor (3-0) pitched three innings of one-hit relief, retiring Robert Fick on an inning-ending double-play grounder in the 12th with runners at the corners.

D’Angelo Jimenez gave the Nationals a 9-8 lead with an RBI single in the seventh, but Kemp led off the bottom half against Luis Ayala with his ninth homer.

Brad Penny gave up six runs, eight hits and two walks in five innings. It was only the fourth time in 28 starts this season that Penny gave up more than three earned runs and the first time in his last 10 outings.

Shawn Hill allowed seven runs – six earned – and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings.

After Fick’s solo homer against Mark Hendrickson and Logan’s RBI single put the Nationals ahead 8-3, Loney’s three-run double on Hill’s 96th and final pitch began the comeback in the bottom half. Ayala relieved and Hillenbrand homered on an 0-2 count. It was Hillenbrand’s first home run in 15 games with the Dodgers.

Notes: Kent had two doubles, raising his career total to 534 and tying Lou Gehrig for 27th place. … Loney, who doesn’t have a sacrifice bunt all season, was given the bunt sign in the 10th inning. He popped it up and catcher Jesus Fores caught it just to the left of the plate in foul territory. … RHP Esteban Loaiza, who the Dodgers claimed off waivers from Oakland, is scheduled to start Tuesday at Chicago.

AP-ES-08-29-07 1947EDT