Nats Win 7th Straight, Down Haren, Arizona

Nationals 5, D-backs 2

Of all the dreams to come true, the one Garrett Mock claimed on Saturday night might be among the most unusual. Mock used that label to describe the sensation of shaving cream spread around his face during a live television interview.

The shaving cream pie was a tribute from Mock's Washington Nationals teammates honoring the starter for his first win of the season. The win was the latest in an undefeated week for the Nationals, who topped the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-2, to secure their seventh consecutive victory.

Mock preserved the winning streak against the club that drafted him -- and later traded him -- while facing one of the elite pitchers in the game.

The list of opposing pitchers who earned losses during the Nationals' 38 previous victories is a mostly unimpressive group, the type of roster that appeals only to the fantasy baseball junkie or middle-reliever enthusiast.

The Nationals recognized the enhanced challenge of overcoming the right arm of Dan Haren, the rare pitcher whose ability to slow the opponents' bats gives his ballclub a chance to win every fifth day.

"Not too many people [beat] those kind of guys, anyway," said third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single in the fifth inning. "When you play one of those top 10 guys in the league, you know it's going to be a battle."

But Haren ran into a team undergoing a late-season renaissance. And he was outdueled by Mock, who was a Diamondbacks third-round pick six seasons ago before they dealt him to the Nationals in a package for Liván Hernández in 2006. Since then, he has shuffled through teams within the organization and through roles as a pitcher.

In the latest incarnation, Mock is a starter, and at least on Saturday night, he was a rather good one. Mock allowed two runs in six innings while striking out seven.

"It's definitely a cool experience to face the team that drafted me and to be able to go toe-to-toe with a pitcher as established as Haren is," said Mock, who added that he did not consider those factors before the game.

Mock had enough to worry about. Saturday was his first impressive outing since returning to the majors on July 21. The Nationals rotation has remained fluid throughout the season, and a string of poor starts is an easy impetus for a demotion.

Besides surrendering a fourth-inning, two-run homer to Mark Reynolds, Mock did not allow a Diamondbacks base runner past second. He attacked batters, keeping his change-up in the zone while also locating his fastball.

Reynolds's home run gave the Diamondbacks a 2-1 lead, although the Nationals quickly recaptured the game in the bottom of the inning when Josh Willingham continued on his scorching pace with a two-run blast.