WASHINGTON — The Cardinals are dead if their bats don’t come alive in Game 3 of the NLCS.

On Monday at Nationals Park they will face the Nationals’ third shutdown pitcher, Stephen Strasburg. The Cardinals did not get a hit in their 2-0 Game 1 loss against Anibal Sanchez until two outs in the eighth inning. In their 3-1 Game 2 loss, they did not pick up a hit against Max Scherzer until the seventh inning.

The Cardinals are hitting .070 after the first two games. They have four hits, two of those by pinch-hitter Jose Martinez, who must be inserted into the starting lineup for Game 3 by manager Mike Shildt. The Cardinals will have their ace, Jack Flaherty, going against Strasburg.

“I do remember a time in September where I was getting questions about why [Martinez] was getting big at-bats,’’ Shildt said Sunday in a conference call. “Stayed with him, and it’s paid off. He’s taken good at-bats, like he’s done historically, and he’s been able to provide good at-bats for us this postseason, as well.’’

There is no overstating how good Scherzer was on Saturday, throwing through the shadows at Busch Stadium.

“We could have had a Hall of Fame lineup out there in the conditions that were out there and the stuff that Scherzer had, and you might have got very, very little different result,’’ Shildt said. “That’s just the fact of the matter.’’

Dexter Fowler, the leadoff hitter, is 0-for-7 with three strikeouts. Fowler, Kolten Wong, Marcell Ozuna, Yadier Molina and Matt Carpenter are a combined 0-for-39. The Nationals have walked only three batters.

Said Carpenter, “We’ve got to find a way.’’ Looking ahead to Strasburg, he added, “This is not going to get any easier.’’

It will be over quickly if the Cardinals don’t start hitting.

Shildt might consider putting center fielder Harrison Bader in the lineup as well, although Bader has had his issues against the breaking ball.

As for the lack of walks, a lot of that credit goes to the Nationals’ pitchers, who have also gotten a lift from lefty reliever Sean Doolittle, who has come back strong from a sore knee.

“You have your two starters take no hitters past the seventh inning, and we get some timely hitting and come out of [St. Louis] with both games,” Doolittle said. “We literally couldn’t have scripted it any better.’’

Doolittle’s knee is strong again.

“The strengthening work that we did for my right leg — I was dealing with that tendinitis in my knee — and it’s allowed me to get into such a better position mechanically on the mound, and I think over the last few weeks, my stuff has really started to come back and I’ve been able to throw the ball with a lot more confidence here,’’ he said.

The Nationals have every right to feel confident.