PASADENA, Calif. (AP) _ Ezra Hendrickson scored with 18 minutes to play and Kevin Hartman made four saves as the Los Angeles Galaxy beat D.C. United 1-0 on Saturday night.

Hendrickson began the scoring sequence with a pass to Luis Hernandez, who drove toward the goal, then passed back to Hendrickson, whose shot from about 15 yards out went under diving goalkeeper Mike Ammann.

Referee Michael Kennedy awarded Los Angeles a penalty kick in the 63rd minute after ruling that midfielder Bryan Namoff grabbed Hendrickson's shirt in the penalty area.

Ammann blocked Greg Vanney's penalty kick. Luis Hernandez beat the United defense to the rebound, but defender Scott Vermillion knocked the shot out of bounds.

The Galaxy (10-6-5) led 17-12 in shots and 12-4 in shots on goal before an announced crowd of 13,805 at the Rose Bowl. Ammann made 11 saves as D.C. fell to 6-13-3 and drop eight points behind Dallas (8-9-4) in the race for the league's eighth and final playoff berth. Both teams have seven games to play.