LOS ANGELES -- The first-place Dodgers have staged plenty of comebacks this season. Cheap Cincinnati Reds Jerseys . Just not after seven innings. They snapped an 0-for-46 skid with two runs in the eighth and Clayton Kershaw outdueled Tyson Ross for a 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday night. "We need wins no matter what," said Kershaw, whose team is 3 1/2 games ahead of San Francisco. "The Giants are playing better right now." Kershaw (15-3) allowed one run and three hits in eight innings, striking out 10 and walking two. He tied Johnny Cueto, Wily Peralta and Adam Wainwright for the major league lead in victories. The left-hander was originally scheduled to start Friday, but he was moved up to give Zack Greinke extra rest for his sore elbow. "I dont think Ive ever seen anybody like this guy," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "Tomorrow will be on to the next one and hell be on a mission for that. A huge competitor." Pitching on regular rest after Mondays day off, Kershaw bounced back from losing his previous start against Milwaukee after winning his 11 previous decisions. The two-time Cy Young Award winner retired 12 in a row before giving up his first hit -- a single by Ross -- with two outs in the sixth. "My command was lacking the first couple of innings, but I was able to keep the pitch count down," Kershaw said. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth to earn his 36th save. Ross (11-12) held his own against Kershaw, retiring 12 straight after giving up his second hit in the third. The right-hander allowed two runs and four hits in eight innings, struck out eight and walked two. "You want to be out there battling the other guy and putting up zeroes and pitching deep into games," Ross said. "Kershaws having an MVP-type year, and he was just a little better." Carl Crawford reached on an infield single to the mound leading off the eighth and Turner followed with his fourth homer into the left-field pavilion, putting the Dodgers ahead 2-1. "That was one of the most exciting moments of my career," Turner said. "We just try to pull together. Carl puts together a good at-bat. I caught a mistake off Ross." Ross said, "It was just a hung slider and he put a good swing on it. Unfortunately, there was a guy on first base and it was enough to take the lead rather than just be tied up." Turner was 2 for 3 and is batting .362 with eight RBIs and eight runs scored in 17 games this month. The Padres led 1-0 on Rene Riveras RBI single in the seventh. Los Angeles took two out of three against San Diego, and has won its last eight series against NL West opponents. Kershaw beat the Padres for the fourth consecutive time and improved to 11-6 against them in his career. DOMINANT DODGERS They are 20-12 against the Padres since the start of last season, with an 8-1-1 series record. TOUGH LUCK Ross fell to 0-4 against the Dodgers in his last five starts while receiving a combined three runs of support. He has a 2.67 ERA against them. "Hes been pitching lights-out," Kershaw said. "He doesnt give much. His slider-fastball combination is pretty unbelievable." TRAINERS ROOM Padres: Closer Joaquin Benoit had been bothered by shoulder problems, but he will avoid a DL stint. Manager Bud Black said Benoit could return Friday if hes feeling as good as he was on Thursday; if not, he will be ready on Saturday. Dodgers: Mattingly said he believes Greinkes elbow isnt going to be a long-term problem. Infielder Juan Uribe, on the DL with a right hamstring strain, has resumed baseball activities. Pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu, on the DL with a right oblique strain, is doing well. ON DECK Padres: Odrisamer Despaigne (11-11, 2.70 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series at Arizona. He made seven minor league starts after signing with the team on May 2. Despaigne is the second Cuban-born pitcher to appear in a game for the Padres and the first to make a start. Dodgers: Struggling Dan Haren (10-10, 4.59) takes the mound in the series opener against the Mets. Last weekend, he allowed six runs on five hits in three innings in a 7-2 loss to Milwaukee. Cheap Reds Jerseys Authentic .J. - Percy Harvin is ready to go, and theres no question in his mind hell be playing Sunday. Cheap Pete Rose Jersey . -- The Green Bay Packers have signed quarterback Graham Harrell to the active roster from the practice squad and placed tight end Andrew Quarless on injured reserve. http://www.cheapredsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-chris-sabo-jersey . -- The way Ted Ligety carved into turns looked so easy.ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Al Jefferson breaks into a wide, giddy smile and anxiously rubs his large hands together when he thinks about what he and the Charlotte Hornets might to able to accomplish this season.As the Hornets opened training Tuesday in Asheville, Jefferson praised owner Michael Jordan and the teams front office for landing Lance Stephenson and Marvin Williams in free agency and drafting P.J. Hairston and Noah Vonleh a€” moves he feels will greatly benefit a team that went 43-39 last season but was swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Heat.They got the weapons we needed, Jefferson said.Weapons the 6-foot-10, 289-pound centre believes will help free him up from double teams in the low post a€” and give the team more scoring options if he kicks the ball back outside.I mean, Im so happy about it I dont even want to talk about it because I feel like I might jinx it, Jefferson said. I had a lot of fun last year once we got healthy a€” and I got healthy a€” and started rolling. This year I think its going to be ten times better.Its hard to imagine the 29-year-old Jefferson being much better than last season.After overcoming a sprained ankle in the preseason, Jefferson got better as the season went on earning Eastern Conference Player of the Month in March and April before an untimely foot injury limited him in the playoffs.Jefferson finished with one of the most dominating seasons of his 10-year NBA career, averaging 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game a€” the only player in the East to average more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.Coach Steve Clifford said Jefferson looks far from content.Based on what I saw from him in September, he has a hunger, Clifford said. He has a feeling that we can have a really good year and a hunger to prove to people that he can play that well again.Jefferson has become the face of a once-struggling franchise.Despite getting snubbed for the All-Star game once again, Jefferson was selected third-team NBA last season.I look at it like this: Ive never been an All-Star but being one of the top 15 players in the game last year, well, that is pretty good a€” real good, Jeffferson said. Wholesale Reds Jerseys. Jefferson is also thrilled to be healthy and in better condition.On Tuesday, the Hornets jumped right into scrimmaging at Kimmel Arena and Jefferson said he played about 24 minutes.Last year at this time I probably would have keeled over, he said with a laugh.Part of Jeffersons motivation stems from the way last season ended.Charlotte played well in the second half of the season and looked to be in position to at least compete with the LeBron James and the Heat in the playoffs. But any chance of an upset bid ended when Jefferson injured his foot in the first quarter of Game 1.He limped through the remainder of the series a€” getting pain-killing injections before each game a€”until he eventually had to sit out Game 4.Looking back, Jefferson said he wasnt even close to being 50 per cent healthy.It was pretty bad, Jefferson said. A lot of my favourite moves I like to do (in the low post), I couldnt do because of the foot. I could hardly run. It was painful.He still averaged 18.3 points and 9.3 points in three games. But the injury demonstrated just how important the man teammates simply call Big Al is to Charlottes chances of making a deep playoff run.Jefferson didnt need surgery, but he said it took nearly five months to fully recover.Hes not worried about a reoccurrence. Although he still wakes daily with soreness in the foot, he said it subsides once he begins to move around.Clifford said Jeffersons willingness to play even at half-speed on basically one foot spoke volumes about his commitment to the franchise. He said in just one year Jefferson became the teams leader and the stabilizing figure on a young team.To me he totally accepts the responsibility of being the best player a€” and thats a big thing, Clifford said.Now Jefferson is ready to move on to bigger and better things this season. He flashed his wide smile again when asked what he has planned for an encoreHonestly, I didnt have any personal goals going into the season last year and things went well, Jefferson said. So Im not going to have any personal goals this year either.