After pulverizing the ball while scoring 44 runs on their six-game trip last week, the White Sox must have left their bats at baggage claim upon returning home.With a chance to win a rare third consecutive three-game series, the Sox mustered only nine runs against a Nationals team with the second-worst ERA in the majors. They dropped the rubber game 2-1 in 10 innings Sunday, mustering only four hits.Their biggest issue was hitting with runners in scoring position. The Sox went 4-for-33 in the series after going 1-for-8 in the finale.‘‘The story of the whole series was runners in scoring position,’’ Sox manager Will Venable said. ‘‘We weren’t able to create runs. We got some guys on base, and guys competed. They just couldn’t finish the job and get some of these baserunners across to score.’’The Sox’ impressive power display on the road against the Athletics and Diamondbacks might fade to memory rather than foreshadow more, even with slugger Munetaka Murakami tied for the major-league home-run lead with 11.On Sunday, they couldn’t solve Nationals starter Foster Griffin, whose cutter helped lead to eight strikeouts in seven innings. The Sox’ only run came on Tristan Peters’ single that scored free runner Derek Hill in the 10th.Maybe the Sox need to get back on the road. Not only have they lost eight of their last nine at home, but only seven of their 33 homers have come at Rate Field. They open a three-game series Monday against the Angels before heading west…
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