Corbin, Arizona end Nationals' 8-game win streak

PHOENIX – Leave it to team leader Ryan Zimmerman to put the Washington Nationals' loss on Sunday into proper perspective.

"As much as I wish," he said, "we weren't going to win every game the rest of the season."

With their starting pitcher not feeling well, and their batters frustrated by Arizona's young Patrick Corbin, the Nationals saw their season-high eight-game winning streak come to an end 7-4.

Still, the Nationals — nearing the end of a stretch of 35 games in 34 days — have the best record in baseball at 71-44.

"We are going to lose just like everyone else loses," Zimmerman said. "We won the series and go to San Francisco and try to win that series, then enjoy a day off finally after a month of playing baseball. If we finish this road trip up strong, it will be a great road trip."

Corbin (4-4) allowed four hits through seven innings, retiring 16 in a row after Bryce Harper's infield single in the first. He gave up two runs, struck out seven and walked none.

Another Arizona youngster, 24-year-old Paul Goldschmidt, drove in three runs with a double and single and scored twice. Aaron Hill, Justin Upton and Miguel Montero each had RBI doubles for the Diamondbacks.

Ross Detwiler (6-5) allowed four earned and three hits in 4 2-3 innings.

"He was really under the weather before he even started the game," manager Davey Johnson said. "He was ill, he lost it during the game and you could tell by his mannerisms that he didn't feel right. ... He almost got us through the fifth. I was a little worried about him. He was having a hard time standing up after the fourth but he gutted it out."

Detwiler, though, wouldn't use illness as an excuse.

"If I am feeling bad and still get my pitches down, I get outs," he said. "I don't think that was the excuse why I did bad at all."

After the Nationals scored twice off Takashi Saito in the ninth, J.J. Putz got the final two outs for his 13th consecutive save and 22nd in 25 opportunities, striking out Roger Bernadina.

Arizona scored without a hit in the second. Goldschmidt reached on third baseman Ryan Zimmerman's throwing error and took second on the play. Goldschmidt stole third, then scored when catcher Kurt Suzuki, in his sixth game since he was acquired a trade with Oakland, threw the ball into left field. It was just Suzuki's third error of the season.

The Diamondbacks didn't get a hit off Detwiler until the third. Chris Young doubled down the left-field line with one out. After Hill popped out, Jason Kubel was hit in the left elbow by a pitch, and Goldschmidt doubled to the left-field corner to bring both runners home.

Young started Arizona's four-run fifth with a walk, then scored when Hill doubled to deep center. Craig Stammen relieved Detwiler with two outs in the inning, but the Arizona hits kept coming,

Goldschmidt singled up the middle to bring home Hill, then scored from first on Upton's double. The Diamondbacks' third double of the inning, by Montero, scored Upton and Arizona led 7-0.

Corbin's string of 16 consecutive outs ended when Danny Espinosa led off the seventh with a double. After Harper struck out, Zimmerman singled in Espinosa to spoil the shutout. Zimmerman took third when Michael Morse singled and scored on Adam LaRoche's sacrifice fly. Kubel's throw from left was ahead of the runner but the catcher Montero bobbled the ball trying to make the tag.

Harper reached in the first on a slow bouncer with one out in the first. Shortstop John McDonald fielded the ball but threw past the first baseman Goldschmidt. It was ruled a hit, but Harper couldn't take second on the play because he collided with first base umpire Mike Muchlinski, thus preserving McDonald from an error. A moment later, Harper was picked off.

NOTES: The Nationals move on to San Francisco in a matchup of division leaders. LHP Gio Gonzalez (14-6, 3.32 ERA) goes for Washington, RHP Ryan Vogelsong (10-5, 2.27) for the Giants in Monday's opener. ... Arizona, after its only three home games in a span of 20, has Monday off before opening a three-game series at St. Louis ... Goldschmidt is among the league leaders with 34 doubles. ... Detwiler caught a sizzling line drive off the bat of Kubel in the fifth, the last batter he faced. ... Morse extended his hitting streak to 10 games.