SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The San Diego Padres are hoping Matt Clement is ready to cash in on his tremendous potential.

Clement turned in a promising performance as he pitched four-hit ball for 8 1/3 innings in the Padres' 7-2 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

	Clement

"I wanted it bad," said Clement about his elusive first complete game. "But hopefully, I will have plenty of other opportunities."

Clement got the first out in the ninth inning, but was pulled after a hit batter and walk. Clement struggled early, but rebounded to retire 10 straight batters and 13 of 14 before pinch-hitter Dave Hansen led off the eighth with a single.

The outing marked the first time in seven starts that Clement lasted past the sixth inning.

"It was nice because it seemed like I was battling myself the last 1½ months," Clement said. "Part of the learning process is being consistent so I don't have to throw as many pitches."

Clement routinely is lauded by opponents for having some of the best "stuff" of any young pitcher in the league. The Dodgers were no exception.

"He's good, obviously," said Shawn Green of the Dodgers. "He threw a lot of sliders that kept us off-balance and he kept throwing it."

The Padres and Cincinnati are the only teams without a complete game this season.

Ryan Klesko, who homered, Bret Boone and Ruben Rivera each drove in two runs for San Diego.

Clement won for the third time in four starts, including two in a row against the Dodgers. He struck out six and walked four.

"Good starters have to be good closers," said Padres manager Bruce Bochy. "We all wanted Matt to get it. We have to let him finish the game. That's part of the growing process for Matt."

Said Boone: "If (Clement) goes out there and throws strikes, he's capable of doing that all the time. He has such good stuff, he can still get away with it. But if he harnesses it, he'll be unhittable."

Chan Ho Park (9-5) gave up six runs -- five earned -- on seven hits in six innings. The right-hander struck out eight and walked two.

"Chan Ho looked like he had good stuff," Los Angeles manager Davey Johnson said, "but he didn't make good pitches when he had to."

Chad Kreuter gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead with a homer in the second. Los Angeles added an unearned run in the third on Green's single.

Boone, the Padres' best hitter the last month, had a two-run single to key a three-run fourth that made it 3-2. He also scored two runs.

Boone's single off Park gave him 21 RBI in the Padres' last 13 games. Boone doubled in the sixth and scored on Rivera's sacrifice fly.

Rivera hit two doubles and Klesko hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 19th.

Clement led off the fifth with single and moved to third on Cory DeHaan's single. When Green's throw from right field sailed into the stands, Clement scored, DeHaan went to third and scored on Klesko's sacrifice fly.

Game notes
Park lost for just the sixth time in his last 22 decisions, dating back to last season. ... Boone was 2-for-13 (.154) with one RBI lifetime against Park before his two-run single. ... Bochy batted Dave Magadan in the cleanup spot despite being mired in a 1-for-27 slump. ... Green was back in the lineup after sitting out Sunday at San Francisco, his first game missed after starting the first 79. ... Padres OF Eric Owens and 3B Phil Nevin were held out of the starting lineup. Owens, with one hit in his last 14 at-bats, has a bothersome left hand, while Nevin is hitting only .196 since June 1. ... San Diego SS Damian Jackson, who recently lost his starting job to Kevin Nicholson, committed his 15th error, tied with Nevin for the team high.