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Nationals Look Avoid Sweep Against White Sox

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Paul Konerko drove in three runs and scored a run, as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Washington Nationals, 6-3, to complete a three-game series sweep at Nationals Park.

Alex Rios went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI for the White Sox, who finished a nine-game road trip with an impressive 8-1 mark.

Freddy Garcia (8-3) went seven innings in the start, allowing three runs on six hits to pick up his fifth straight win for Chicago, which has won its last six contests. He also fanned six batters and walked one. J.J. Putzrecorded his first save of the season.

Adam DunnRoger Bernadina, and Wil Nieves each knocked in a run for the Nationals, who have dropped six in a row.

John Lannan (2-5) got rocked in four-plus innings, giving up five runs on 11 hits to take the loss. The left-hander hasn't tasted victory since May 28 against the Padres.

Down 3-1, Chicago scored four times in the fifth to take the lead. Juan Pierre and Alexei Ramirez hit consecutive singles to put men on the corners for Rios, who laced an RBI double to center. Konerko followed with a two-run single. Miguel Batista relieved Lannan and gave up base hits to Carlos Quentin and Ramon Castro to load the bases with nobody out. Dayan Viciedo then grounded into a double play, but a run scored on the play to make it 5-3. Gordon Beckham grounded out to end the inning.

Washington stranded a runner on third in the sixth, before the White Sox got an RBI single from Rios in the ninth to make it a 6-3 game.

Matt Thornton tossed a scoreless eighth and Putz worked around a leadoff single in the ninth to secure the victory.

The White Sox got on the board in the first inning. Rios hit a two-out single, stole second, and crossed the plate on Konerko's base hit up the middle.

Washington plated three runs in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. Cristian Guzman led off with a triple into the gap in right-center field. Dunn followed with a grounder to first baseman Konerko, who threw home in an attempt to get Guzman out. However, Guzman just beat the throw to score the Nationals' first run of the game. Bernadina and Nieves each added RBI singles later in the frame.

The White Sox swept a series in Washington for the first time since April 29- May 2, 1971 (four-game series)...Chicago has gone eight straight games without hitting a home run, its longest stretch since April 17-25, 1993 (eight games)...Viciedo started at third base and made his MLB debut for the White Sox on Sunday. He went 1-for-4. Viciedo (21 years, 102 days) is the third- youngest Sox player to make his debut since 2000 behind Jon Garland (20 years, 281 days) and Pedro Lopez (21 years, three days).