Carson, CA (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Galaxy finally broke their frustrating winless streak by topping D.C. United, 5-2, at The Home Depot Center in Major League Soccer action on Saturday night.

Landon Donovan scored his second hat-trick of the season while also chipping in an assist to lead his club to its first win since June 14, a run of 12 matches without a victory before Saturday. It was also the U.S. international's sixth multi-goal game of the season

The Galaxy now move out of the Western Conference basement, and with 29 points after 25 league fixtures, give themselves a fighting chance at a playoff spot with five games remaining in the regular season.

D.C. (10-12-3) started things out by scoring the game's first goal less than two minutes in. Devon McTavish scored his first goal of the season when he pulled a ball through a defender after receiving a corner kick from Ivan Guerrero and fired a shot past L.A. goalkeeper Josh Wicks.

Donovan scored his first goal of the game about 20 minutes later to tie the score when he ran onto a through-ball from defender Chris Klein that split the defense. Donovan then took a touch with the outside of his right foot to place a perfect ball past onrushing United 'keeper Luis Crayton, who played a strong game despite giving up five goals.

Donovan gave the Galaxy (7-10-8) their first lead of the game in the 35th minute when he blasted a long range shot from straight on into the far post side-netting. David Beckham picked up his ninth assist of the season on the play.

Alan Gordan gave the Galaxy some breathing room three minutes later when he fired in an Eddie Lewis rebound to cap off a flurry of chances in the D.C. penalty area.

D.C. pulled a goal back just after the first-half break to make it 3-2 when Thabiso Khumalo took a feed at the top of the L.A. area, muscled around Klein, and fired a shot into the net past Wicks, who was badly out of position on the play.

But that was as close as United could get as defender Marc Burch was given a very questionable red card for a slightly late tackle on Beckham in the 63rd minute.

Donovan set up Peter Vagenas for his first goal of the season in the 81st minute, and competed his hat trick in stoppage time to close out the scoring.

Donovan now leads the league with 19 goals, just eight back of the all-time single-season mark set by Roy Lassiter in MLS' inaugural season in 1996.

The Galaxy will try to climb further up the Western table when they travel to Chicago on Thursday while D.C. United is at FC Dallas on Sept. 28 in its next league fixture.