Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Hiroki Kuroda came six outs away from a perfect game and ended up with a one-hitter to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-0 win over the Atlanta Braves to open a three-game set.

Kuroda (5-6) struck out six as he needed just 91 pitches, 61 for strikes, to complete the game. The Japanese righty struck out six while inducing 15 groundouts and six fly outs. The only hit of the game he gave up was a leadoff double to Mark Teixeira in the eighth.

"Tonight was a team effort," said Kuroda through an interpreter. "I put the ball where Russell's (Martin) glove was. The hit was a slider and it went a little high. The most important thing is that I didn't give up any runs and I had good team support."

He is the first Dodger pitcher to throw a one-hitter since August 31, 2005 when Derek Lowe gave up a leadoff hit, but no more in a game at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.

Kuroda has been spectacular on the mound since coming off the disabled list. He threw seven shutout innings last Wednesday in a 4-1 win at Houston. He has won three of his last four starts and this marked the second shutout of his career.

"He was close to perfect," said Dodgers manager Joe Torre about Kuroda. "He worked fast, threw a lot of strikes and kept us on the edge of our season. The defense was great behind him. You can't get much closer to perfect."

Nomar Garciaparra hit a two-run homer while Blake DeWitt went 3-for-3 with a run scored for the Dodgers, who have won six of their last seven to move into a tie for first in the NL West with idle Arizona.

Jorge Campillo (3-4) was tagged with the loss for giving up three runs on five hits in seven innings for the Braves, who have dropped seven of their last nine. Atlanta played a night after having to fly across the country following a 7-6, rain-delayed 17-inning home win over Houston.

The Dodgers got all the runs they needed in the fifth. James Loney led off with a walk, and after Andruw Jones popped out, Garciaparra blasted a shot into the left field stands. DeWitt then followed with a single and moved to second on Kuroda's sacrifice bunt. Matt Kemp followed with a single to bring home DeWitt for a 3-0 lead.

Kuroda, meanwhile, was cruising through the game. In the second and fourth innings he struck out two batters in each frame and had either strikeouts or ground outs until Kelly Johnson fouled out to end the fifth.

In the sixth he got Mark Kotsay to ground out, then Jason Perry to line out and Campillo to foul out for his 18th straight batter retired.

To start the seventh, Gregor Blanco laid down a nice bunt down the third base line, but DeWitt made a barehand grab and nailed Blanco at first. Yunel Escobar then flied out and Chipper Jones grounded out.

Teixeira, though, ruined Kuroda's perfect bid in the eighth when he led off the frame with a double down the right field line. However, it didn't do any damage on the scoreboard as Brian McCann flied out, Johnson flied out and Kotsay grounded out to first to end the inning.

"We didn't want a perfect game thrown against us," said Teixeira. "Kuroda was great tonight. Best stuff I've seen all year. He threw in the mid-90's and put the ball where he wanted to. My hit was a mistake, he threw it up. I was lucky and put a good swing on it. It was the most hittable pitch I saw all night."

In the ninth, Kuroda got Perry to ground out to start the frame. Greg Norton then hit a slow grounder that got past DeWitt, but Garciaparra came up with the ball and nailed Norton at first. Blanco then grounded out to end the game.