PHOENIX » A brief return to the minors has done wonders for Patrick Corbin.

The 23-year-old rookie has had three outstanding starts since coming back from Triple-A Reno.

Corbin allowed four hits through seven innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat Washington 7-4 on Sunday, snapping the Nationals’ season-high winning streak at eight games.

He is 2-0 in three starts since he was recalled, allowing four runs in 19 innings in that span.

"Just having some confidence against these guys," Corbin said, "just knowing you can go out there and pitch your game. That’s something I’ve been doing since I came back up. It’s been working out."

Corbin retired 16 in a row after Bryce Harper’s infield single in the first. He gave up two runs, struck out seven and walked none. He also brushed back a couple of Nationals, which pleased manager Kirk Gibson.

"He threw the ball really well and Washington’s been tough on us this series and he shut them down," Gibson said. "He executes very well. You saw him stand a couple of guys up, and I believe in that. Those are very good ‘purpose’ pitches. It has an effect on the next few pitches and the next at-bat."

Another Arizona youngster, 24-year-old Paul Goldschmidt, drove in three runs with a double and single and scored twice.

Nationals starter Ross Detwiler allowed four earned runs 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 in a trade with Oakland, threw the ball into left field. It was just Suzuki’s third error of the season.