(Sports Network) - The San Jose Earthquakes are finally out of Major League Soccer's Western Conference basement after earning a 2-1 win over the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday night at Buck Shaw Stadium. Darren Huckerby, who has scored three goals and three assists in six games since joining the 'Quakes in mid-July, scored the game winner in the 83rd minute to lead the club to it's third win in it's last four league fixtures. The victory also extends the 'Quakes unbeaten streak to seven games.

Currently, San Jose is tied with the Los Angeles Galaxy for fifth in the Western table, just two points out of the last playoff spot with eight games to go.

Kansas City, on the other hand, stays tied with Toronto FC - which lost to Chivas USA on Saturday night - at the bottom of the Eastern Conference table with just 26 points after 22 league fixtures.

San Jose opened the scoring on Saturday when Arturo Alvarez headed home a Ronnie O'Brien cross from the left side of the 18-yard box. Alvarez snapped the header past Kevin Hartman from six yards out for his fifth goal of the season and second as a member of the 'Quakes.

That was how the score stayed until the 64th minute when Davy Arnaud tied the score for Kansas City, which is on a three-game winless streak. Arnaud made a good slashing run behind the defense and fired home a Michael Harrington low cross for his third goal of the season.

But less than seven minutes from time, Huckerby was the beneficiary of a solid buildup started by Francisco Lima. Lima crossed into the Wizards' penalty area to Ryan Johnson at the back post, who headed back to the near post to Huckerby, who headed past Hartman for the late game-winner.

San Jose (6-9-7) will try to inch closer to a playoff spot when it hosts D.C. United next Saturday while the Wizards (6-8-8) will aim to rebound at Houston a day later.



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