WASHINGTON — Sometimes you just have to change it up in the postseason as a hitter and when you do, it might make all the difference in the world.

Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton did just that.

Eaton got the Nationals on the board with a two-out single in the third inning to drive home Victor Robles against Jack Flaherty as the Nationals ran out to an 8-1 victory Monday night over the Cardinals at Nationals Park and a 3-0 lead in the NLCS.

That hit ignited a four-run inning. Anthony Rendon doubled home Eaton on a liner to left that Marcell Ozuna muffed in a sliding attempt and after a walk to Juan Soto, Howie Kendrick lined a two-run double into right center, one of his three doubles on the night.

In the Nationals’ Game 2, 3-1 victory at Busch Stadium on Saturday, Eaton came up with a huge two-run eighth-inning double and made a mental adjustment.

“Seinfeld” played a role in his actions and getting him some big hits in this series.

Explaining that double, Eaton said, “I was thinking, they did the opposite,’’ he said of how the Cardinals were pitching him, guided by catcher Yadier Molina. “So I was thinking 3-2 should be a heater here and I’m like, well, that’s the opposite, so I should George Costanza and just go ahead and say breaking ball. And that’s what happened. George was right and I happened to be right.’’

Why not? There is so much backward pitching in this postseason.

The crowd of 43,675 were into every pitch Monday night, just one win away from a World Series.

Noted Eaton, “They are seeing something that they never saw before and it’s pretty awesome that we can bring that to the city. It’s just enjoyable to be able to play in front of people that like you instead of hate you.’’

True to the marrow.

The Nationals can close out the Cardinals on Tuesday night and head to the World Series, the first Washington team to make the trip to the Fall Classic since 1933.



Kendrick said of his big night, noting he probably hasn’t gotten three doubles “since I was in Little League or something.’’

He credits former Yankees and Mets hitting coach Kevin Long with his success, saying, “I’m trying to be more efficient with my body and my swing. Kevin Long is a big part of that.’’

Lefty Patrick Corbin can close it out and offered this about the Nats’ season, a year they were 12 games under .500 before turning it around.

“We did have some injuries to begin the season,’’ Corbin said. “With Trea [Turner] down, Rendon, and [Juan] Soto, we had three big-time hitters there. We just kind of got our guys back. You give credit to Davey [Martinez] never panicking, really never changing anything. We didn’t do more. We didn’t do less. We just continued to do what we did in spring training and just built off it.’’