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Aug 9, 2009 - 3:50 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Arizona (50-60) at Washington (38-72), 1:35 p.m. EDT

It took four months, but the Washington Nationals finally seem to be hitting their stride.

The Nationals look to extend their season-high winning streak to eight games while trying to sweep the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks for the first time in almost three years Sunday.

Washington (39-72) has the worst record in the majors, but currently owns baseball's longest winning streak after beating Arizona 5-2 on Saturday for its first seven-game run since Aug. 26-Sept. 1.

"We were just better than what we were playing," said interim manager Jim Riggleman, who has guided the Nationals to a 13-11 record since replacing the fired Manny Acta at the All-Star break.

The Nationals, who haven't won eight straight since a 10-game streak from June 2-12, 2005, are batting .306 while averaging 6.8 runs during their winning stretch.

"They play with a certain life," said Arizona manager A.J. Hinch, whose team won five straight before dropping the first two of this set. "When you're having seasons the way both of us are having, when there's a little more life, a little more energy, the winning breeds that."

Josh Willingham hit a two-run homer Saturday and Ryan Zimmerman added two hits as the Nationals won their seventh straight at home.

Zimmerman, who homered in each of his previous four contests, is batting .465 with seven homers and 15 RBIs during a 12-game hitting streak. He's hit .429 against the Diamondbacks this season.

Willingham has five home runs and 17 RBIs in his last 14 games while batting .389, his same average versus Arizona in 2009 with three homers and six RBIs.

While the Nationals look for their first series sweep of the Diamondbacks (50-61) since Sept. 2-3, 2006, they could be in for a challenge against Arizona starter Yusmeiro Petit, who took a no-hitter into the eighth inning of his last start.

After going 11 starts between victories, Petit (2-5, 5.81 ERA) hasn't allowed a run in 14 straight innings while winning his last two outings.

Petit allowed four hits in six innings of a 4-0 win over Philadelphia on July 29 - his first victory since Aug. 23 - and threw eight innings of one-hit ball in a 6-0 win at Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

"The last few starts I feel like I'm part of the rotation now because I'm helping the team and pitching a lot better," Petit said.

The right-hander is 1-1 with an 8.10 ERA as a starter against Washington. He lost to them on May 8 as he allowed four runs in four innings of a 5-4 defeat.

Arizona's Mark Reynolds hit a two-run homer Saturday for his 35th of the season. Only St. Louis' Albert Pujols has more (36) than Reynolds, who has homered in three straight games and 10 times in his last 12 contests.

Reynolds and the Diamondbacks will get their first look at rookie J.D. Martin (0-2, 7.16), making his fifth career start for the Nationals.

The right-hander allowed three runs and six hits while walking four in 4 1-3 innings Tuesday, but didn't receive a decision in a 6-4 win over Florida. Martin allowed two homers for a second straight start.