WASHINGTON -- Three weeks ago, Marcell Ozuna rebounded from an embarrassing misplay in the outfield for his first three-hit game of the season. Fast forward to his second three-hit performance, and he’s making warning track grabs look routine.

Ozuna doubled twice against Nationals ace Max Scherzer, drove in his team-leading 29th RBI and snatched Michael A. Taylor’s majestic fly ball out of the sky just shy of the wall Wednesday night, helping the Cardinals win a fourth straight series with a 5-1 victory at Nationals Park.

The Cardinals have now won five straight and 10 of their last 11, while recording their 20th victory at the earliest point in their season since going 20-6 to open 2015.

“We just compete,” said manager Mike Shildt. “We’re looking to compete in any and all situations. And every situation is a situation that calls for an approach. These guys are very sincere and smart players, and talented players that are looking to take advantage of every opportunity.”

Over those last 11 games, every St. Louis starter has gone at least five innings while allowing no more than four runs, with Miles Mikolas letting in only one over six frames on Wednesday.

Proving what goes around really does come around, Ozuna even got the benefit of right fielder Victor Robles’ misplay on his first extra-base hit, one that drove in Paul Goldschmidt from second for the first of three first-inning runs off Scherzer. Ozuna and Paul DeJong then both came in on Jose Martinez’s single to seal a crucial quick start against the three-time Cy Young Award winner.

Robles’ bad route was reminiscent, if only mildly, of the one Ozuna took in left field on April 9, when he badly misjudged Enrique Hernandez’s fly ball, scaling the left-field wall only to then flail at it as it one-hopped the fence off the warning track.

“He’s one of the aces in the National League,” Ozuna said of Scherzer. “If we get him early, we can beat him.”

Adding to the vibe of karmic restoration, Ozuna got his own Mulligan of April 9 in the sixth inning, when Taylor launched Mikolas’ 99th and final pitch skyward and toward the visitors' bullpen. Ozuna parked himself at the bullpen door, took a gentle jump, snatched the ball with his glove and then glanced through the fence toward some jubilant teammates.

“I’m sure there was some banter,” said Shildt. “He went back and made a nice play. But it’s a play that he expects to make. … It didn’t surprise me in the least.”

A turning point?

Ozuna’s viral gaffe against the Dodgers certainly isn’t representative of his overall defense, which has consistently rated above average and earned him a Gold Glove in 2017. But it was perhaps an inflection point on what could be his most important offensive season yet, if not his best by mere numbers.

The day after his blunder vs. the Dodgers, he homered, doubled and drove in a pair of runs in the Cardinals' victory over Los Angeles on April 10, beginning a three-week run production barrage. Ozuna had eight of his 10 home runs, six of his seven doubles and 24 of his 29 RBIs during that 18-game stretch. His line in that span: .318/.436/.773.

Streak ends, streak goes on

DeJong’s first-inning single extended his hitting streak to 11 games after previously assembling a 12-gamer earlier this season.

With Yadier Molina seeing his 16-game hit streak snapped on Tuesday and the Nationals’ Anthony Rendon currently on the injured list with his 17-game streak paused, DeJong’s is now the longest active hitting streak in the NL.