LOS ANGELES -- Looking up from last place, the Dodgers still see themselves in a division race and considering the state of this division, anything is possible.

They ran their win streak all the way to two Saturday, outlasting the last-place Washington Nationals, 7-5, behind four RBIs from catcher Russell Martin and the first career save from Jonathan Broxton.

That both heroes are rookies is completely in keeping with the transformation on the fly of the Dodgers roster, which could undergo further changes before Monday's trade deadline, as general manager Ned Colletti searches for another starting pitcher after watching winner Derek Lowe struggle to get through five innings.

Martin, who wasn't even in the Major Leagues when the season started but might be as valuable as anyone in uniform this season, slugged a two-run homer and doubled in a pair. He also had some words of wisdom two innings into another rough Lowe outing.

"He had a couple tough breaks out there, and it's been like that for him awhile, and I just told him to start having fun out there -- it's just a game," Martin told Lowe, 10 years his senior. "He changed his attitude between the second and third innings. I think he puts a lot of pressure on himself. Now, we've won a couple games. That should take some of the tension off a lot of people."

Okay, which is it? Fun or tension?

"This team expects to win, and as the losing builds up, the tension builds," Martin said. "Sometimes, it's hard to keep a positive attitude and it doesn't matter who you are."

For now, the Dodgers would prefer to overlook the level of the competition they're beating and focus on the favorable results.

"We know we got ourselves in a position where it's an uphill battle," said manager Grady Little. "We've got to win games and keep winning games."

Lowe allowed four runs the first two innings, squandering a two-run lead that Rafael Furcal helped provide with a home run, but Lowe followed with three scoreless innings before the heat and a 103-pitch count got to him. He said that other than allowing a two-run homer to Nick Johnson, he thought he pitched better than the boxscore looked. He struck out eight, but the Nationals stole five bases the first three innings.

"I think [Derek Lowe] puts a lot of pressure on himself. Now, we've won a couple games. That should take some of the tension off a lot of people."

-- Russell Martin

Little got a perfect 2 1/3 innings of setup from newly returned reliever Elmer Dessens, who made the Odalis Perez trade look pretty good by stopping the bleeding when he relieved Joe Beimel with one run in and the bases loaded in the sixth inning. He retired all seven hitters he faced.

Then Little gave the ball to Jonathan Broxton for the ninth. Which means he didn't give the ball to Takashi Saito, who has been the closer for the past month. The explanations on Saito were murky.

Little said Saito "overloaded a circuit" while making 37 pitches in a relief appearance Wednesday night and was not available Saturday. In that game, Saito allowed three runs to the Padres. Through an interpreter, Saito first said he was "a little bit tired" from that game, then said he had "a little discomfort," but added that he would be available Sunday.

Little also had Brett Tomko available. Tomko, who moved into the late-inning role Danys Baez had until his Friday trade, made his first relief appearance as a Dodger Friday night, and Little chose not to subject him to an immediate acid test, instead going with Broxton.

If the Dodgers bullpen appears a little jumbled, it should. None of the six current relievers were in there when the season started. Back then, it was Eric Gagne (elbow surgery), Yhency Brazoban (elbow surgery), Baez (traded), Lance Carter (outrighted to Triple-A), Tim Hamulack (optioned to Triple-A), Hong-Chih Kuo (Triple-A) and Franquelis Osoria (Triple-A).

Broxton is only 21, but the number that matters more is the 98 mph on the radar gun. He struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning. When the Dodgers moved him to the bullpen during the 2005 Minor League season, the best-case scenario was that he might evolve into a replacement for whenever Eric Gagne moves on. Certainly, it's all happening a little faster than anybody expected.

All parties agree that Broxton's improvement this year can be traced to the split-finger fastball he taught himself while messing around in the Las Vegas outfield during batting practice just before his May 1 promotion.

"It gives him a different arsenal against left-handers," said Martin. "He shows that pitch and hitters have to think about it."

Broxton threw a splitter Saturday for a strike, but said if he just shows it during warmups, it can have the same effect on opponents. He's not yet a closer and he's still learning, but he said the role has been his goal. Whether he has what it takes will be proved over time. Martin, a native Canadian, was asked if Broxton could be another Gagne, who also hails from Montreal. Martin said nothing to trigger an international incident.

"I can't compare him to Gagne yet," Martin said. "But he's sure on his way."